


Shadow Realm

by LoreWitch



Series: Consumed by Shadows [1]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dewey is a little emotionally unstable, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family/Friendship - Freeform, Huey trying to be a good big brother, Miscommunication, Saving lena, Shadow Realm, Shadow magic, The triplets really care for Webby, This may be more than one story, Webby feels lost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-10 07:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17421527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoreWitch/pseuds/LoreWitch
Summary: After the events of the Shadow War, Webby is feeling more alone and alienated then ever. Torn between thinking Lena is alive and dead, she finds herself in a loop of sadness coupled with the emotions of what Scrooge said at the Sunchaser. But when she learns that Lena may be alive in the deadly Shadow Realm, she decides to go by herself to save her friend. The others try to stop her, but with Magica and possible news that Della isn't dead in the mix, it seems the group has a complicated situation on their hands.All have burdens to bear and together they will come together to save a family member no matter what the cost. But will Webby ever really feel a part of their family?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I am new here! I hope you enjoy the first chapter of a Ducktales story I had swimming around in my brain since I saw Shadow War. This takes place right after the Shadow War and how I believed Webby would feel. Enjoy this first Chapter. 
> 
> Lore Out!

“We did it!” Louie jumped up in the air and dove into the money bin swimming around with the others as they celebrated beating Magica. They laughed as she ran away with a smoldering gaze. At first Webby did too, but as the adrenaline died down, she glanced back at her shadow and her smile slowly faded thinking about Lena. It was true what the triplets said. She would always be with Webby. But somehow, it didn’t feel enough. The roller coaster of emotions she hadn’t been allowed to feel as they fought Magica suddenly hit full force.

Lena’s betrayal, the thought that Lena was never really her friend, realizing that Lena was just another pawn of Magica’s and seeing her fight her own master to protect Webby and the joy she felt seeing her and realizing that she did care about Webby. Then the horror and despair as Magica turned her staff on Lena and watching her vanish into nothing.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she resisted the urge to cry. Dewey and Huey had noticed her now standing there with her fists clenched and eyes boring into the money at her feet. She noticed their looks and glanced away trying to hide her face. They couldn’t know, everyone seemed so happy.

Somehow, Huey seemed to know what she was thinking. “Webby..” he reached out and set a soft hand on her shoulder. Snapping her head up she gave the two a smile.

“Really it’s okay Huey. Thanks for worrying, you too Dewey.” Webby grinned and then tackled the duck clad in blue and wrestled him into a headlock. “Ha! Still inexperienced! Your guard is way down Dewford!”

“HA! Dewey is being put in a headlock by a girl!” Louie laughed and pointed at his brother as he shot him a annoyed look.

Webby smirked, eyes narrowed. “Do you want a turn Louie? I can easily arrange that!” With that she launched herself at the wide eyed duck and tackled him into a exploding pile of coins as his brothers watched and laughed.

* * *

 

 

Scrooge watched the kids playing with a small growing smile. Eyes softening, he glanced to the side at Mrs Beakley and nodded slightly.

“You do realize Magica won’t give up on destroying you.” She stated factually and sighed. “You really shouldn’t have let her go.”

“No need to worry yourself, I will stop her next time I see her. I won’t let anyone else be hurt by her. Besides, the woman can only do magician magic now. She’s not much of a threat.” He waved her worry away.

The older woman sighed slightly and turned back to the children playing. “Well I suppose we should see what is left of the manor. She probably did a number on it. I have a headache just thinking about everything that needs to be cleaned.” She muttered. Turning to leave, she took two steps before pausing and turning back to Scrooge. “Also, I believe you owe someone an apology.”

Raising an eyebrow at this, Scrooge turned to her and sighed. “I know, I was a bit harsh to everyone and I am sorry I said those things.”

Tilting her head a bit. “I meant my granddaughter. You told her she wasn’t a part of the family.” Tone icy, she smiled in smug satisfaction at the wince Scrooge gave at that statement.

Hand covering half of his face, he gave a deep sigh. “I know…I promise I will tell her when we have a moment alone.”

Mrs Beakley nodded and turned away again. “Don’t forget Mr. McDuck that we are all Webby has. Despite how you feel about her parents she is MY granddaughter. She will forgive you, have no doubts about that. She idolizes you, heaven knows why. But you are in a particularly dangerous spot. Remember that.” With that, she walked away and Scrooge frowned. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Donald smiling at him.

He gave a half smile back and turned back to the kids. “Kids! Its time to go home!” he yelled and the four stopped fighting and ran over to him. Trailing behind the group, Webby glanced once more to the bin where the fight took place.

“Lena…” she said softly and let a tear fall from her face. Shaking the thoughts away she ran back to catch up with the group.

The fading shadow within a group of coins formed into the shape of Lena, her eyes once more opening and giving the fading Webby a sad smile. _“Webby..”_ a whisper that could only be heard by herself, she watched as her friend kept running and quietly faded into nothing.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The next few days went by fast. Rebuilding the manor was pretty easy. Only about a third of it was blown up by Magica’s magic. Scrooge was also focusing on getting his money back and rebuilding the bin that he had forgotten about what he and Mrs Beakley had spoken about.

 

Meanwhile Webby was being unnaturally quiet. She had stayed in her room a lot the past few days, feeling strangely lethargic and while the boys were worried about her, they also were trying to sort through their emotions. Learning about their mothers death was hard. It was finally real to them, they had solved the mystery, their mother was a part of the stars now. And as Dewey glanced up at the moon and stars one night he gave a small smile. At last he finally knew where his mother was and could now look up and talk to her whenever he wanted. She would forever watch over them, that much he knew now.

Louie glanced up from his phone, seeing the dopey look on Dewey’s face and rolled his eyes. He was dealing with his pain in his own way. No longer did he really blame Scrooge for what happened. While the entire situation was hard to accept, he realized that what was done was done and he was ready to look forward. Now that they were back at the mansion it was time to start their next adventure. Their next con. Smirking at this he hummed. “Say bros. What should we do tomorrow? I think we should go out and do something.”

Huey glanced up from his book and raised an eyebrow at Louie. “Like what? Scrooge won’t go on anymore adventures until the house and bin are fixed which means were pretty much limited to Duckburg. Unless you want to you know hijack Launchpads plane-why are you grinning like that?” Huey looked worried at Louie’s sudden happy face.

“That’s a perfect idea!” Louie jumped onto his face. “Let’s take the Sunchaser for a joy ride to some place cool!”

“That is literally the stupidest idea you have ever had.” Dewey was now glaring at Louie.  “You have a death wish or something?”

Louie sighed. “I dunno I’m just bored. I’m tired of being cooped up! I need to do something!”

“Con funds running low?” Huey commented.

A pause.

“NooOOooooOOoOo…..” Louie’s long no and pained expression was all the answers they needed.

Dewey sighed and thought about it. “Maybe a walk around town wouldn’t hurt. I heard a new circus is in town. Maybe that might be fun, you know normal fun?”

“Hmmm” Louie thought, thinking up protentional cons he could do.

“I’m in!” Huey grinned and jumped up. “I can earn my cotton candy making badge and if they let me I can even get my acrobat badge! You have no idea how hard it is to find a place that lets you be a acrobat with a live audience!”

“Riiigggghht..moving on.” Louie pulled out his stash of hidden coins he collected from their adventures. “How much do you think it would cost to buy my own lion from the Circus?”

“I think we should invite Webby too.” Dewey suddenly said. The other two snapped their heads up and both looked away.

“Would she want to come?” Louie asked. “I think she’s still…um..”

Huey frowned as well. “Do we really want to pull her into something else if she’s not ready? After all, she lost her friend.”

“But she has us.” Dewey turned to the two. “I think leaving without her would be worse don’t you think? She would think we wouldn’t care about her. We have to help her forget about Lena.”

“Forget about Lena?” A new voice said from their open door. Instantly three horrified faces turned to Webby who was standing at the doorway with a confused look on her face.

“Wait! Webby! Its not what you think!” Dewey started, getting up and tripping over his own feet to run to her.

“What? That you want me to forget about Lena, forget about my friend who was killed before my eyes?” new tears began to form. “Forget about Lena who betrayed us then saved us? You were there Dewey! You saw her fade away like I did!” She pointed her finger at the other. Tears threatened to spill over and she spun away to run off but Huey, the one closest to the door grasped her arm and stopped her.

“Wait! Webby! That’s not what he meant!” Huey was panicking too and knew if he let her go she would be out of reach forever.

With clenched teeth, Webby desperately tried to pull herself from his hold but Louie also grasped her shoulder and together the two brought her inside.

“Yeah he was being Dewey, saying stupid Dewey things. Don’t take everything he says at face value.” Smiling, Louie looked her in the eyes. “We just wanted to find a way to cheer you up. This isn’t like you. We miss the old Webbigail who would be bouncing off the walls and idolizing our uncle. Ready for adventure! And beating up bad guys!”

“I’m sorry Webby.” Dewey looked guilty. “I didn’t mean to word it like that. But you can’t keep yourself locked away either. Were worried about you.”

Webby thought about what they said and sighed. “I’m sorry guys.” She smiled at them all. “I get it. I haven’t been very Webby like. Its all good. Now what’s this I hear about a Circus?”

 

* * *

 

“Uncle Scrooge?” Donald hesitantly entered the room where said duck was seated upon his chair, deep in concentration while staring at something. He only looked up briefly before turning back to what he was looking at.

“Yes? What is it Donald?” Scrooge asked politely and frowned even deeper at what he was gazing at.

Donald sighed. “ I was wondering, I am glad you decided to let us stay. My boat is completely totaled and it will take forever to get fixed. But, I still think we need to have a talk. About Della.”

Scrooge stopped what he was doing and hesitantly glanced up at his nephew. Closing his eyes painfully, he sighed. “Aye. I suppose we do.”

“I know I blamed you, and I’m sorry. I suppose I just needed someone to blame. I couldn’t blame her, she is my sister. You both made mistakes and I was upset at her for leaving the boys. I know you did everything to save her. I just…I wanted her back. She should be the one raising the boys, not me. I am doing the best I can. I just, want you to know all of this. We may not be perfect. But family will stick together. No matter what, right?” Donald gave a small smile.

Scrooge felt a smile form on his normally grumpy features as well and he couldn’t help a small tear from falling. “Aye, our family may not be perfect. But we are a united unit. I want you to know I will never let the boys be in that same danger. I promise I will protect them with my life.” Nodding firmly, Scrooge got up and walked towards Donald.

“I know, I will as well.”

 

Webby pulled her hand away from the door to Scrooges room. She gave a sad smile and looked away. She couldn’t interrupt them right now. So she quickly ran off before the two could see her. The others words made her happy. The three brothers were so well loved and it seemed as if Scrooge and Donald would protect them no matter what.

_This is great! The Family is stronger than ever….Now no one can defeat them! Ever!_

But it was so strange, despite how happy she felt…a pain was piercing her heart. Even as she got to her room and closed the door behind her, it didn’t go away. Confused, she reached up and found tears falling from her eyes. “Wha-what is this? I shouldn’t be crying..Why-“ Her lower beak trembled and she threw herself on her bed, finding it impossible to keep the emotions bottled inside. She grasped a pillow and screamed into it, she cried. For the first time since the Sunchaser crash, since Lena’s death; she cried.

That’s how Mrs Beakley found her, and as much as she could she comforted her granddaughter. But even she knew that her words wouldn’t reach the girls heart. She could see it, she was closing herself off. It seemed as if Scrooge would need a reminder.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Webby was all smiles. She was finally feeling better and back to herself. True, the emotions behind everything she felt were still there. But at least the three brothers would still be with her.

“Guys!” She popped up next to their bed.

“Guys!” She popped up again next to Louie who was getting dressed and let out a very unmanly shriek.

“Guys!” She pulled Dewey out of bed who only looked up at her with a dazed expression.

“Its finally here! My first Circus!” She was bouncing off the walls, almost literally which caused Huey to worry.

“Riiggghhtt, Webby have you been drinking that potion that you kept from that super secret mission you went on with Uncle Scrooge?” he asked, trying to grab her to stop her from getting hurt.

“Yeah-wait what?” Dewey snapped his head towards Huey.

“Super secret mission?! Aw c’mon!” Louie frowned and pouted.

“What? What super secret mission? Pssshhhh” Webby tried to brush the others words off with a slight wave.

Huey raised an eyebrow. “I literally have video evidence.” Showing it off on his phone, Webby briefly wondered how he was able to film them.

“Dude you went with a solo mission with Scrooge?! Not faiiirrr” Dewey frowned.

Smiling, Webby just shrugged and hummed innocently. “Anyways! C’mon you three we need to get to the circus before the best seats are taken!” She grasped Dewey and Louie’s arms and dragged them off. Huey shrugged and followed behind.

When they got there, Webby was instantly entranced by the stalls near the front of the circus.

“Look at that! What is that?!” She pointed at the cotton candy machine.

“Only the best invention known to Duckdom besides money. Cotton Candy!” Louie introduced and bought her some, “Here try it!”

“I will!” She opened her mouth and tried to chomp down, only for it to instantly dissolve on her tongue. Her eyes widened and pupils dilated. She appeared as if she had been enlightened.

“Uhhh Louie I think you broke her.” Dewey commented, poking her head as she bounced up and quickly got back into line.

“I LOVE COTTON CANDY I WANT MORE!”

Huey and Dewey gave their brother a sidelong look. “Great now she will be bouncing around all day. Thanks Louie.” Huey commented dryly.

Louie adjusted his hoodie. “No thanks necessary gentleman! If you need me.. I’ll be asking a man about a tiger.” And with that, he was gone.

" I thought he wanted a lion." Huey commented.

“Typical Louie, ditching us.” Dewey sighed.

Huey shrugged. “Five bucks says he will be back in ten minutes screaming and running from a tiger.”

“Oh you are so on!” Dewey slapped and shook his brothers hand with a grin.

“Wh-esre Luoiey?” Webby returned with her mouth crammed with cotton candy and the plastic cones they came on.

“Yup were doomed.” Huey commented without any emotion.

“Oooh whats this?!” Webby ran to another stall, the fried cheese vendor. After going through every vendor in the entire Circus, Huey spotted a few of the acrobats heading towards the big top and he stopped with a slight hum. He glanced back at Dewey and Webby who were in conversation and decided now was the perfect time to sneak away. Blending into the objects he stealthily made his way towards the big top.

“ I still think the concept of two talking mice trying to take over the world is a bit far fetched-hey where’s Huey?” Dewey stopped and glanced around frowning. Webby also glanced around, frowning and shrugging her shoulders. Slapping his face, Dewey groaned. “Oh come on! Ditched again?”

Webby laughed a bit. “Hey don’t worry Dewey, still got me after all. Um..oh lets try here!” She pointed to a small tent. “There’s no line!”

“Probably because it’s a-hey! No pulling I’m coming!” Dewey let her drag him off towards the tent that read “Psychic” on the top. Crossing his arms, Dewey hesitantly went inside. “Webby let’s go, these Psychics are never real.” He whispered.

“Come children.” A woman’s voice echoed from a bit further into the tent. It was a lot darker in the tent and Dewey followed after Webby nervously.

Once Webby pulled back the curtain before them they saw a young woman duck seated in front a bunch of cards. She shuffled them and spread them out on the table.

She had long pink hair, Her feathers were a stark white and she wore a long purple dress with flared sleeves and long dangling earrings and a necklace with a strangely entrancing stone.

“Hi I’m Webby!” Webby grinned and waved before making herself seated.

The other girl smiled. “Hello Webby, Dewey.” The woman nodded to the blue clad duck.

Dewey paused and his mouth hung open a bit before shaking his head and seating himself down as well. He frowned at her and tilted his head. “How did you know my name?”

The lavender clad duck smiled a bit. “How do you think?”

“Well obviously because she’s Psychic!” Webby looked excited and squealed. Dewey was a bit more skeptic. Sure magic was real, but he had problems believing people who did carnivals and Circus fortune telling. More than often it was fake.

Shrugging and smirking the Psychic gazed at them both, “I’ll let you be the judge of that.” She chuckled and started to display the cards before her face down.

“Read my fortune!” Webby jumped up.

“You will have to be more specific than that.” She giggled. But when Webby paused a bit, looking down; the woman’s own features softened. “Tell you what. Think really hard what you want. I’ll let the cards do the rest.” She reached up and pat Webby’s head.

“You don’t want her to say anything? Then how will you…“ Dewey started but the fortuneteller shook her head.

“Don’t worry, the cards will hear her.” She shuffled a deck again and handed them to Webby. “Go on, take the cards and make your wish.”

Grasping the deck tightly, Webby at first wanted to know if she would find a family, if Scrooge would finally accept her as part of his family, but as that wish started an image of Lena appeared before her. Opening her eyes, she handed the deck to the fortuneteller who began to once more pull cards from the deck and spread them out before her. Webby sat back a bit confused and seriously wondering where Lena’s image sprung from.

“This card symbolizes friendship, the three of clubs. It also can mean celebrations. The fact its next to the hermit states that you are searching for something, some soul searching if you will.” She glanced at Webby who bit her lip and looked away.

“It seems to me your both searching for family and friendship. Something that you have lost.” She continued to flip card after card. “You think it is lost to you forever, but it seems…this is not the case.”

She flipped the final card.

The Devil.

Webby’s eyes widened and Dewey clenched his beak.

“W-what does that mean?” Dewey asked, pointing to the card.

Glancing at the card, even she seemed to be a little surprised. “Well this is the card that came up when asking about where what she’s searching for is. This card means a lot of things. Some say it means a rebirth, a start of a new life. But in your case it means a place.”

“Hell?” Dewey choked.

She shook her head. “The shadow realm. This card can also mean ‘ones own shadow’ or shadow self.”

Both kids froze. “Wait so what are you saying? What she’s looking for. What Webby wants is in another dimension? That’s…crazy!”

Webby was speechless and Lena’s face once more appeared within her mind. Watching as she formed her shadow self to fight Magica, how Magica’s magic burned Lena’s image away. Could it be?

Was…Lena not dead?

“She’s….she’s not dead?” Webby whispered and the fortuneteller smiled at her, giving a slight nod.

Placing a hand on her beak, eyes watering a bit she stood up.

“Webby?” Dewey grasped her shoulders. “Webby are you okay?”

“Is it true? Is Lena not dead?!” She slammed her palms on the table, startling them all.

“Webby..lets go.” Dewey tried to tug the other away, feeling really uneasy.

“The one you truly seek is in the Shadow Realm, waiting.” The fortuneteller stated and closed her eyes as Dewey pulled Webby from the tent. Once they were both in the sunlight, Webby repeated the words in her head.

“Webby? Webby are you okay?” Dewey looked at her nervously.

Webby blinked and glanced at the other who seemed uneasy. “Oh, yeah I’m good.” She grinned.

“You don’t…think that was real do you?” Dewey asked hesitantly. “ I mean..”

Webby glanced to the side and clenched her hands. She was smiling sadly. “I really…do want it to be true. Maybe we overlooked what really happened that day. Maybe Lena was really just sent to another world…I mean its possible right?”

Dewey opened his mouth but closed it. What could he say? While it was true they couldn’t say Lena was dead, they couldn’t also say she was alive either. “Webby I…”

Seeing how lost Dewey looked, Webby pulled away a bit. “Its okay Dewey. I get it.” She suddenly didn’t feel like seeing the rest of the circus anymore. “Here.. you guys enjoy the rest of the Circus.. I..forgot I needed to do something..” Grinning, Webby saluted to the other and began to run off.

“Wait.. WEBBY WAIT!” Dewey ran after her, this didn’t feel right leaving things like that.

But as they ran through the stalls, Dewey found himself lagging behind and soon running out of breath. Still he managed to stumble past Louie who was trying to bargain with a lion tamer for the tiger in a cage to his right but stopped mid sentence as he saw his brother running raggedly past him. He grinned weakly. “I’ll call you!” He frowned and began to run after his brother.

“Dewey! Dewey what’s wrong?!” Dewey stopped to breathe but pointed ahead of him.

“Webby………..trouble…” he gasped completely out of breath from trying to catch up with her.

“What?” Louie turned to where Dewey was pointing and quickly took off after her too with Dewey trailing behind. Webby noticed Louie now rushing after her and she quickly gasped, running into the big top with the two brothers gaining behind her.

“Webby…stop!” Louie said and she shook her head and continued to run. The three ran literally through the main ring where Huey started to do some acrobat moves on the trapeze. But he noticed the others running and with wide eyes grasped onto the trapeze then jumped to a nearby rope, hooking his foot onto the loop at the end. The sandbag at the other end of the rope began to raise under the weight which slowly lowered him to the floor. Right in front of Louie and Dewey. “Guys what’s going on?”

Dewey looked a little guilty. “Something happened. But we have to stop Webby.” But as they looked up all three noticed she had vanished.

“Where’d she go?” Louie asked.

“It’s Webby, she could be anywhere.” Huey shrugged but he looked worried.

“Oh no.” Dewey stared after where he last saw her with slight fear in his eyes.

 


	2. A Tiny Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!  
> This is the second chapter of the story! I just wanted to get it out as soon as possible. I really am enjoying writing this fanfic and hope you all enjoy the ride too :) I will start posting songs that inspired this fanfic. Starting with what I feel is Webby's anthem in a sense for this entire fanfic.  
> I listened to this a lot during the emotional scenes. This is a english translation of a Japanese song of a anime I liked.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpYXISeKFPg&list=RD1ALpbkbuxXo&index=2  
> Tabi no Tochuu from the anime Spice and Wolf. I feel like this song shows both her weakness and determination to find her friend. Also it shows her wonder to explore unknown lands and have adventures. 
> 
> And yeah I just love this song! ^^
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the ride!

Webby ran, she ran and didn’t look back. It couldn’t be helped. She didn’t want to lose this. She didn’t want them to tell her it couldn’t be possible. Finally she had a scrap of proof. It was flimsy at best and inside her mind was fighting her heart. But she couldn’t take her heart shattering again with realizing that it might be possible Lena was still alive. Opening the door to the manor she quickly rushed up to her room not even meeting Donald’s eyes as she rushed past him. Without so much as a word she locked herself in her bedroom and walked to her bathroom. She was out of breath and her feathers were ruffled everywhere. But her eyes were determined. She had to find something……

Sighing, she shook her head and began to fill the sink to wash her face. But what she saw in the water made her eyes widen and she stumbled back.

In the water Lena’s image briefly flashed and it made Webby’s poor heart race. Pressed up against the wall, she couldn’t believe what she saw. Was this..what was **that**?!

She cautiously moved back over to the sink and all she saw was water. Clenching her hands at her side she made a firm decision. This was enough for her. She could feel it inside. Lena was still alive. Her new mission was to save her at all costs now that she knew this.

But could she do it all alone? Briefly she thought about telling the others. But…..

_This is a family affair, and YOU are not Family!_

_We have to help her forget about Lena!_

_I will protect them with my life…_

Webby’s eyes opened. No, there is no way she can tell them. Lena was her friend. As much as it pained her, Scrooge was right. She wasn’t a part of their family. She was happy their ties were strengthening. But she was no longer a part of them. She didn’t belong there anymore.

“I have to save her myself.” Webby smiled sadly, glancing at her friendship bracelet. “I can do this.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Wait wait wait….back up here.” Louie looked as if his head would explode. “Lena…..is alive?”

“I didn’t say that. I said it is possible she might be alive according to the Psychic.” Dewey stated once more.

“Okay and what makes you think this fortuneteller was even real?” Huey raised a eyebrow.

“I don’t know! She was creepy! She knew my name before I could even tell her! She knew about the shadows….she….she seemed to know exactly what was hurting Webby.” Dewey said the last part softly and slammed his eyes shut.

“But we saw her get vaporized before our eyes!” Louie stated raising his arms.

But this caused Huey to think. He frowned, slowly he began to pace. “But…technically Lena isn’t like us. She’s made of shadow energy. And energy no matter where it comes from cannot be destroyed. Only suppressed and changed.” He held up his guidebook and pointed at Dewey. “So…it is possible.”

Dewey sighed, finally seeing what Webby was seeing and realizing that as they continued to talk the hope in each of their hearts began to rekindle again. Still, he flopped onto his bed and turned facing the wall. “Even if she is trapped in some kind of Shadow Realm thing how can we even get to her? There must be millions of different dimensions out there. We wouldn’t know where to look!”

Webby had been passing by the boys room quietly as they spoke and realizing they were talking about Lena and her. But that wasn’t made her stop. It was Dewey’s last words and something clicked within her mind. “Shadow…Realm…Shadows..” she whispered and hummed. Quickly she ran off, backpack in hand.

She had to get access to one of Scrooge’s books. She could only hope he would help her.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Beakley made her way to his office. She stopped in his doorway and sighed. “Mr. McDuck sir, may I have a moment?”

Scrooge turned to her. “Always 22, what can I do for yah?”

Rubbing the bridge between her eyes she sighed. “Sir. I don’t mean to interfere with your life but don’t you think you have forgot something? Something important?” She crossed her arms and raised a eyebrow at the other.

“Is this a trick question?” Scrooge pondered and Beakley rolled her eyes.

“No. Mr McDuck, do you remember what we last talked about?” Beakley was getting a little irritated.

“Er, Tomorrows breakfast?” Scrooge offered.

“How about an apology?” She hinted.

“I’m sorry about tomorrows breakfast?” Scrooge asked confused.

“No! Your apology to my granddaughter who you so selfishly told she wasn’t a part of the family!” Beakley slammed her hand onto his desk.

“Oh…..right right.” Scrooge suddenly remembered and slumped into his seat. “That.”

“I can’t believe you have forgotten that. Why are you stalling?” Beakley demanded.

Scrooge let out a grumbling noise.

“Sir.” She stressed the word.

He sighed and looked down. “I’m sorry 22, It’s not easy to admit some things. Like when you are wrong. Its harder to fix damage that has already been done.”

 

 

Webby reached his office and stood in the doorway still out of vision of both her Grandmother and Scrooge though. She opened her mouth but then Scrooge spoke.

“About Webby.” Scrooge opened his eyes. “Not a part of the family. Nothing but trouble. Doesn’t deserve to stay in this mansion…”

Webby felt her eyes water and she grasped ahold of her chest which was breaking apart. She took a step back and another. Her eyes narrowed as a tear slid down. Before the two even noticed she was out of the room and running out of the mansion.

Scrooge sighed. “Those were some of the things my dah said to me before I left. Its scary when ye realize how much like yer parents ye’ve become. When even simple sentences like that pass yer lips and how tinged with poison they can be. I don’t know 22. How can I make it up to the lass? Would a simple apology solve everything?” he stood up and glanced outside the window out at Duckburg. “Would she really forgive me? It’s terrifying…what if it is too late.” He lowered his eyes sadly.

“Mr. McDuck, you seem to not even know my granddaughter at all. She is strong physically, mentally…and emotionally. I made sure of that myself.” She set a hand down on Scrooges’ shoulder. “If you just talk to her she will understand. She’s a very smart girl.”

Scrooge smiled. “Aye, that she is..”

 

* * *

 

As Webby exited the front door she spun around, facing the mansion and with teary eyes she let the wind brush her hair across her face. “Goodbye..” Now realizing she didn’t have much of a family left she turned back. Lena, Lena was the only one who could possibly understand her right now. More than ever she wanted to find her friend. She needed the comfort, she wanted to hug her, cry on her shoulder and be told everything was all right. She was so tired of feeling like this.

But she still had to find her. Unsure of where to really go, Webby made her way to Lena’s home. It would be a temporary home until she could figure out where to go from there. She couldn’t rely on the brothers or Scrooge.

“Webby’s gone!” Huey stormed back into the brothers room looking panicked. Dewey jumped and dropped what he was holding.

“What?!”

Louie fell off the bed with a thud and “Ow.”

“Wait are you sure she’s gone?” Dewey grasped his brothers arm and pulled him close.

Huey nodded and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I checked every room in the mansion. She’s not here.”

“What about the vents?” Louie commented and poked a broom up at the vent in their room.

Huey nodded. “I called for her I even called her cell phone…but.” Hesitantly he pulled the phone from behind his back and showed the others.

“Where did she go?” Dewey frowned and started to pace. “Oh man if Uncle Scrooge finds out she’s missing this could get very bad.”

“Scrooge?! If Beakley finds out she will kill us!” Louie panicked, shaking Huey rapidly and breathing heavily.

“Ahhhhh all in favor of keeping this from the adults until we find her say Aye.” Huey commented.

“Aye!” Three voices echoed and all three nodded to each other.

“Aye Aye!” A fourth voice chirped and the brothers turned to see Launchpad suddenly next to them.

“Wahhhh! Launchpad how long have you been standing there?” Dewey wondered.

“Enough to know the little miss is in trouble!” He looked heroic as he stood up. “We have to find her!”

“Right…” Louie’s eyes roamed around the room trying to find a reason to convince Launchpad not to tell the others. “Hey Launchpad. Please don’t tell the others about this. They have enough to worry about.”

“But but won’t Mrs B be worried?” Launchpad tilted his head slightly.

“Yessssssss…” Louie was desperately thinking of something and glanced to Huey who frowned and sighed.

“Launchpad.” Huey smirked. “Have you ever heard of the curse of the runaway….”

Louie rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead as Launchpad looked terrified.

 

* * *

 

Webby found the secret door to Lena’s place and slipped down. The darkness of the room seem to envelop her and she sighed. Reaching behind her, she realized that she had left her phone behind. “Right, phone has a tracking device. I can’t let them find me.” So she pulled out a flashlight instead and set it down letting the light dimly envelop the room.

The silence around her was deafening but she sat on her bed, arms wrapped around her legs as she tucked them in tight. “Lena…can you hear me?” She asked, glancing around the room. “I wish you could help me. I want to save you, but I wish I knew where to go from here. To be honest.. I’m completely lost. I know you are in the Shadow Realm. But how do I get there?” glancing at the bracelet once more she closed her eyes as a tear slid from them. Suddenly a blue glow appeared from behind her and gasping, Webby turned to see the shadow behind her stretching and morphing. It seemed to be straining to get somewhere.

“Lena?” Webby stood up and began to walk, realizing that the shadow was vanishing without the light. Grabbing the flashlight she continued to point it so Lena wouldn’t vanish. Leading the way, the shadow reached a cabinet to the right of her bed and raised her arm as if to open it.

Reaching up herself, Webby opened the dusty door and inside lay a old book. She grabbed it and dusted off the cover.

“Mysteries of the Shadow Realm…” She read the title out loud and a light returned to her eyes. “Lena! This is it! Thank-“ she turned to her shadow but her smile faded once she saw her shadow had returned to its normal self. “Lena..” grasping the book tightly against her chest she closed her eyes and narrowed them.

Quickly she sat down and began to read.

 

* * *

 

Scrooge made his way towards Webby’s room and knocked softly. “Lass? Ye in there?” he paused and waited for her reply and frowned a bit when he didn’t hear anything. Maybe she was with the boys? He opened the door and verified that indeed she wasn’t in her room. Although it seemed a bit in disarray and that did worry him a bit. Glancing around he noticed her book she always carried with her.

Picking it up off the floor he breezed through it and chuckled. “Clever girl, she got most of it right but some of these..” he shook his head with a slight smile, then set the book down on her nightstand before leaving to walk to the boys room. He felt increasingly awkward realizing that he would be doing this in front of them. But he had to summon up the courage to say it while he could.

As he approached the door he heard voices behind it.

“What are we gonna do? If the others find out-“

“They won’t, don’t worry about that.” Louie’s voice rung with confidence.

Scrooge raised an eyebrow and raised his cane to tap on their door. “Boys?” his voice held an edge. “Is the wee Lass in there with you?”

“Its Uncle Scrooge!” Huey sounded a bit hysterical.

He swore he heard Louie start to hyperventilate on the other side of the door.

But the door quickly opened and Louie was pushed out, his eyes wide and sweat dripping down his feathers. He gave Scrooge a tense laugh and strained smile.

“Uncle Scrooge! What brings you to these parts?” Louie asked, trying to regain control over his demeanor.

Might as well play along with this for now. “This is my house I can go very well where I please. Have ye seen Webbagail? I need ta talk to the lass about something important.”

“Webby? Yeah I’ve seen her! She’s….” He hesitated, trying to come up with a logical place she would be. “In the room with Mrs Beakley!”

Raising an eyebrow, Scrooge didn’t look fooled one bit. “Try again lad..”

“Er…she’s in the kitchen?” Louie was quickly running out of ideas and by the looks of it, Scrooge was running out patience fast.

“Really?” Scrooge eyed the other intensely and Louie felt himself start to crumble under the pressure.

“OK Fine! She’s in with us but….um she doesn’t want to talk to anyone really..”

At this Scrooges’ face softened. “Why? Is she alright?”

“Yeah.. its just you know.. her dealing with Lena’s….death.” that last word left a horrible taste in his mouth, because Louie himself was starting to believe that Lena wasn’t really dead. But he couldn’t let Scrooge know.

“Oh… right.. The lass is still upset about losing her friend?” He sighed and a memory cropped back in his mind. The last memory he saw of Lena.

_“I wish I could have your family! They are amazing!”_

He smiled sadly and turned to Louie. “And how are you fairing lad?”

Louie’s frame seemed to relax more to his usual form. He glanced away and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m fine, its not like I lost anyone new.” He said and stuffed his hands into his pockets of the hoodie. Still, watching Lena made him feel very sad about Webby. Realizing that the sadness she felt probably was close to what they were feeling about their mom.

“Is this true?” He lifted Louie’s bill with the curved part of his cane, meeting his eyes with his own concerned ones.

Blinking, Louie sighed. “Look, its fine. We don’t blame you anymore if that’s what you want to hear.” He paused. “We loved mom, I think were just glad to know what really happened and…who she was. Will you, tell us stories about her now?” He glanced back at his Great Uncle hoping beyond hope that somehow he would get to learn a bit more about his mom.

“Aye, if that’s what ye want. I can do that.” Scrooge affirmed, Louie smiled a fraction. On the other side of door, Dewey had his back pressed up against the door with a blank look on his face. Huey glanced worriedly at his brother.

“Now…about Webbigail.” He got up and went to open the door when Louie once more pressed his back against it.

“NO! Don’t go in there!” Louie panicked.

 Once he felt the door shudder, Dewey snapped to life and looked at Huey worried.

Huey returned his look and began to think up a way to get Scrooge away.

Scrooge once more was shocked that Louie was getting in his way. “Lad…move, I have to speak to the lass and sort this mess out.”

“No! No…ah she…she said she hated you and didn’t want to see you for a while!” He blurted and suddenly there was dead silence.

Scrooge looked hurt and took a step back. “She…she really said that?”

Louie swallowed a lump in his throat and hated himself for a second for what he was going to say. “She said she needed time to sort out her feelings.. she still doesn’t forgive you after what you said in the Sunchaser. And why wouldn’t she?” Louie pursed his bill together. “After what you said…She is a part of the family just as much as we are! I would be mad too!”

On the other side of the door, Dewey’s hand formed into a fist and Huey was glaring at the door.

Scrooge sighed. “Aye… she is, I came to mend my mistake.”

Louie started a bit, his face forming a guilty look. “You did?” He almost faltered. “Uncle Scrooge…”

Dewey came out at that moment. “Uncle Scrooge.” His voice was more solid and stern. “Just give Webby some time. She will come to you when the time is right.” He closed his eyes and leaned against the doorframe.

Scrooge studied both boys with an unsure expression. “I had hoped to settle this sooner rather than later. But maybe I should let her mourn…” He turned around and pulled his hat off, gripping the rim tightly. “Grief can cause terrible destruction among the closest family after all.” Forming a determined face, he walked away.

All three boys sagged in relief. Huey joined his brothers outside and gave both of them a look. “Was that really the best you could come up with?”

“Don’t blame me I panicked!” Louie retorted. “Besides he seemed…really determined to apologize to her..” He bit his lip. “Oh I hope this doesn’t come and bite me later..”

“Oh it will.” Both boys chorused.

Groaning, all three quickly got ready.

“Where is Launchpad and the plane?” Dewey asked nervously.

Huey and Louie both put a hand on Dewey’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry…we will find her.” Huey had a fire in his eyes.

“Yeah how far can one girl get anyways?” Louie joked.

* * *

 

Webby slapped a few hundred dollars on the counter. “One ticket to the Amazon Jungle please.” Gripping the book in one hand and her other grasping onto her backpack she watched as the ticket lady took the money to give her a ticket.

Once Webby got onto the plane she glanced out the window once more at Duckburg. Did the others even know she was gone yet? No, it couldn’t be. Her Granny would use everything at her disposal to bring her back. That she knew. As for the others, would they even care she was gone? Shaking away those thoughts she pressed her head against the wall of the plane and sighed. “Even if they cared, I still have to do this on my own.” She didn’t know why she had to continue to tell herself this.

Maybe it was to help ease the pain in her heart. So with a heavy heart she curled up in her seat and grasped the book, tracing the words and opening it once more to read. On the page she was on displayed a old map of a long forgotten Jungle path. “It’s there….a path to the Shadow Realm..” she brushed her feathers across the words written there.

“I’m coming Lena.”


	3. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to find any news on where Webby went, the boys split up to try to find any information on the Shadow Realm, meanwhile Scrooge learns that there is trouble in space, more specifically the moon. With this he has to make a choice. Will he turn his eyes to the sky or towards the Amazon? The boys also have to make a choice. With learning the dangers the Shadow Realm brings, will they help Webby or will they try to stop her?

Gyro slammed the door open to the McDuck Manor and yelled. " Mr. MCDUCK! Mr. MCDUCK!" Fenton was following close behind, holding charts and a portable laptop. Typing fiercely as they ran through the manor to find the duck they needed.

"What in blazes is going on here?!" Scrooge heard the commotion from the kitchen. Donald, Mrs Beakley and Scrooge ran out to meet the two. Meanwhile the triplets were sneaking outside the nearby window with Launchpad. But, noticing the commotion, Huey glanced inside and signaled for his brothers to stop.

"What's going on?" Dewey, curious as well also crowded the nearby window.

"Mr. McDuck. We have an emergency!" Fenton started, looking as if he was going to tear his feathers out. "Our probe to the moon has been destroyed!"

"The what now?" Scrooge raised an eyebrow.

Gyro sighed and rolled his eyes. "The probe. We sent a small device to the moon to collect some moon dust. Which we need for our most recent experiment."

"But, when it got to the lunar surface something began to jam the transmission down here! At first I thought it was just interference or cosmic rays but someone deliberately tampered with my equipment!" Looking frustrated, he turned the laptop to show Scrooge. It showed a video of the lunar surface and then wreckage of an old ship, a duck hand reached down upon the screen before it went dark and distorted.

Scrooge pursed his bill thoughtfully and then color drained from his face. "Can...can ye show me the video again?"

Watching it for a second time Mrs Beakley began to notice the signs. Donald, who was peeking behind the two also drained of color. "It couldn't be.."

"We have no proof." Scrooge turned to Donald. "Do not get yer hopes up lad."

"I know." Donald once more closed his eyes and sighed.

"I'm going to look more into this at the lab." Grabbing his cane and top hat, Scrooge began to walk towards the doors. "Stay here and watch the kids. Don't say anything yet. We know nothing." Once he reached them, he grasped the handle and looked painfully at the wood. "It just cannot be. After all these years...Della....are ye there?"

The two brothers heard this as the window they were spying from was close to the door.

All three brothers looked at each other with lost expressions on their faces.

"Did he..." Huey grasped his hat and began to nervously twist it in his hands.

"That's...." Dewey was so confused he sat down, hand on his forehead.

"Crazy?" Louie finished. He was the least shocked of the group but he glanced back as Launchpad was heading to the plane.

"She can't be alive right?" Huey turned to them. "Its been years! There's no way she would have survived space!"

"But she is a Duck. After all...Uncle Scrooge I'm positive is well over 100." Dewey pointed out.

"Well yeah but..." The door near them slammed open which cut their conversation short and Scrooge ran out and called out to Launchpad. The three were out of Scrooges' range as he was walking the opposite direction where Launchpad was. He turned and looked incredibly nervous as he turned and ran to Scrooge. They argued a bit before Launchpad resigned himself to drive Scrooge to the lab.

"And there goes our ride." Louie looked annoyed.

"What should we do now?" Huey glanced around nervously.

Dewey was thinking deeply and glancing around slowly. It wouldn't be long before Beakley and Donald noticed they were gone. They had to hide somewhere before they were found. "We need a place to hide before they find us gone. I know!" An idea flashed into his mind. "Lena's place..I know Webby would have gone there too at one point. There could be a clue to where she went maybe!"

Together they made their way to the amphitheater and found the trap door to Lena's home. As each climbed down they remembered the first time they came here with Webby and as Dewey's eyes rested on the unused bed, he remembered Webby's face as she read that poem. Sitting down on the bed, he glanced around the dimly lit room. Huey and Louie were already fast at work trying to discover any clue to where Webby went.

"Hold up!" Louie said as he was reaching up to a cupboard that had been recently opened. "Looks like there was something here before. But now its gone."

"Hmm and by the size and shape I'm sure it was a book of some kind." Huey commented. "But what kind."

Dewey felt frustrated. "Great, another dead end. Where did you go Webs? Why did you leave without us?"

Looking around some more, Huey once again found Lena's journal under the bed. Hesitantly he pulled it out and flipped through the pages. Once more it came back to the page of the poem and he frowned.

Sighing, he glanced back at his other brothers. "Hey, should we...bring Lena back?"

Both paused in what they were doing and glanced back at their eldest by 3 seconds.

"What?" Dewey asked in a monotone.

"Why shouldn't we?" Louie asked, hands tucked in his hoodie pockets.

"I just...I'm worried it's a trap sent by Magica." Huey rubbed his arm nervously. "What if she still has control and is leading Webby into real danger?"

"Well then, it's better if were there then right?" Louie commented. "At least Webby wouldn't be alone. We can think about rescuing Lena later. Right now were going to find Webby right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Huey nodded with a slight smile.

"Duh." Dewey rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"The problem is we still don't know where Webby went. She could have gone anywhere at this rate." Huey seemed frustrated. "Ugh Webby is too good at disappearing without a trace."

"She did think of everything. Leaving her phone behind, not leaving any clues like a map or something to where she's going. Doesn't seem like she spoke to anyone either of where she was going. I mean, all we have to go on is the Shadow Realm." Dewey said with a sigh.

Huey frowned. "I guess we might have to do some research on the Shadow Realm then. Like maybe places where portals to them are?"

"Do we have time for that?" Louie seemed exhausted. "By the time we figure this all out it could be too late. I say we tell Uncle Scrooge. This is way beyond us now."

"Let's see what the book says to do." Opening the Junior Woodchuck book Huey glanced at the words and sighed. "When in doubt, consult an adult." He sulked.

Dewey seemed to be the only one still resisting. "No we can't.....Scrooge and the others might be really mad at us and Webby. I don't. I won't let us have another fight!"

Huey and Louie thought about this too. The scars from the past fractured family moment were still there. Learning the truth about Della nearly tore them all apart. It was only normal for Dewey to feel that this could destroy them again.

Huey gave a weak smile and hugged Dewey and Louie and pulled back to look into both their eyes. "Let's...go back to the manor. If we can find books on the Shadow Realm we will know where to go. Then if we tell Scrooge this he won't be as mad. Maybe he will understand why Webby went on her own as she did."

"Even if we still don't understand why," Louie mumbled.

Together the group left the hideaway and ran back to the manor.

Sneaking around the back the group decided to split up and cover more ground. Dewey would check out Scrooge's study, Louie would try looking in Webby's room again for clues and Huey would try to find the library.

Opening the door to the study, Dewey glanced around and began with the books on his bookshelf.

"Junk, Book on making money, Mythology, 'Forbidden Delicacies: Technique of Classic Bread Baking from around the world' ?" Dewey paused while staring at the book before shaking his head and tossing the book away.

"Why does Uncle Scrooge have a book on Japanese music? And...Clog Dancing?" Dewey commented. After a few minutes of searching he slumped down in Scrooge's armchair with a sigh. Resting his face on his hand he glanced around once more. "What are we missing.."

Louie wasn't having much more luck in Webby's room. He glanced around and tried not to read her Diary but couldn't help himself. He read a couple of pages before setting it back, feeling more confused about girls than ever. He glanced at every book shelf until he found a book that almost looked fake. Raising an eyebrow he lifted it up and looked at it from angle. But as he held it upside down another book slid from the fake dust jacket. Revealing the magic book Webby had snuck inside.

"What the-" Louie blinked and tilted his head curiously at the book.

"Hmmm." Louie grabbed it since it was the only thing he had found that maybe could tell them where Webby was. He glanced once more at Webby's phone which had been lying unused on the bed and grabbed that as well.

Huey had found the library and was quickly going through the books to find anything he could on the Shadow Realm. "Shadows, Shadows....here...'Shadows in most cultures are often portrayed as a persons hidden traits. These characteristics are a part of the person but not often seen or are suppressed.' Hmm, was Lena Magica's suppressed character traits? That may also explain why our shadows were so easy to turn on us when Magica took control of them." He frowned as he continued to look through the book for any indication on the Shadow Realm.

"Nothing." He sighed and closed the book and moved onto the next as Louie came into the room holding a book and phone.

"Huey did you find anything?" Louie asked, sitting next to his brother and looked in amazement at the large collection of books that surrounded him.

Huey shook his head. "Nothing yet on the Shadow Realm. Although I found some information on Shadows and realized that Scrooge really needs to clean out his library. He has encyclopedias from 1925."

"What's an encyclopedia?" Louie asked with a blank face.

Letting that question slide, Huey continued to read until he saw the book Louie had. "What did you find?"

Louie shrugged. "I don't know if this is real or all but it's a book on magic and I thought glancing through Webby's phone might help us find her." He held it up again.

"We really should stop looking through her stuff. If she finds out we glanced through it I think she will find five different ways to kill us with a spoon." Huey said seriously.

Louie did look frightened for a minute but then shook his head and tried to calm down. "No worries we can always blame it on Dewey."

Only raising an eyebrow, Huey turned back to the book he was reading. "Anything good?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." Louie flipped through some more pictures of their adventures together. But soon as he got closer and closer to before Webby and the boys met he realized something. "Hey.. Huey."

"Mmm?" Huey was concentrating, reading a certain passage with interest.

"Webs said she never had any friends before us, right?" Louie asked stopping on a photo that made his eyes droop.

He stopped reading and looked up. "Why do you ask?"

Louie studied the picture on her phone and handed it to him.

"Oh.." was all Huey could say and glanced away from the phone.

In the photo was obviously a younger Webby standing before the McDuck Manor alone. She looked like she was struggling to smile but had an odd loneliness in her eyes. Obviously, Mrs. Beakley took the picture. The two boys thought the same thing, it was amazing for them to wander into the McDuck Mansion, but how was it for Webby who only had Mrs. Beakley?

"Alone in this big house, I wonder how it felt." Huey commented and then shook his head. He grabbed the phone from Louie and threw it away. The phone clattered to the ground a foot away from the two and Louie scrambled to grab it.

"Hey! What is the big deal Hubert?!" Louie turned to his brother. "That was someone elses property. You could have damaged it! Then Webby would really have your head!"

Huey was still frowning, looking down at the book and slamming it shut. "That's it, I'm done. I'm stopping this and going to Uncle Donald and the others. This was stupid from the start." He started to storm towards the door and Louie, panicked ran and tackled his brother, knocking them both to the ground and causing them to tumble into a bookshelf.

Letting out a strangled gasp, both shielded themselves as books tumbled down, forming a pile around the poor boys.

With a loud gasp, Louie dug himself from the pile and panted. "I thought I was going to die."

"What was the point of that Llewellyn?!" Huey pulled himself free and began to walk away when his foot knocked against an open book.

"Wait! Huey!" Louie started to race after his brother and then both of them froze.

"Hello, is someone there?" Beakley's voice echoed through the hallway and into the room.

Mrs. Beakley entered the library and her eyes shot open. "What...is.....this?!"

Before her the Library lay in mostly ruins with books scattered everywhere and one bookshelf tipped over. She eyed the area intensely, as if waiting for the scared little ducks to reveal themselves who started this mess.

"Is anybody still here?" Her voice held some anger and both boys who were hiding in the back behind some bookshelves, cowered in fear.

Huey knew better than to approach Mrs Beakley when she was like this.

"Okay then, I will leave but know once I catch whoever tore this place apart will face swift judgement." And with that she left the room.

Both boys let out a long sigh and Louie was grasping at his heart. "This is not a good day for my heart."

Huey glanced back at the younger duck and crossed his arms. "I'm still going to Uncle Donald. This has gone on long enough."

Louie was trying to think of a way to keep Huey helping him and Dewey. Pulling out his phone he signaled for Huey to wait and began to type furiously at the screen.

Huey looked skeptical. "Louie I highly doubt typing in Shadow Realm into Dukgle will help us find where- "  **Ding!** "Webby wen-Wow 100,000 hits for Shadow Realm." As Louie shoved the phone in his face, Huey finished the sentence with shock as he held the phone.

"Guys?!" A third voice loudly whispered in the library and both boys quickly went to meet Dewey.

"Dewey, Convince Huey here we have to keep searching for info! He's about to squeal on us to Uncle Donald!" Louie ran and hugged Dewey, which caused him to blink and glance at Huey who seemed unsure. He wasn't meeting Dewey's eyes and grasped onto the phone tightly.

Dewey looked at them both and then sighed. "Okay. Well tell them." He looked defeated.

"Dewey?" Both boys echoed, wondering what could have happened to him.

"I don't know what else to do. There's no where else to go. At this rate it is just a matter of time before were found out." He shrugged helplessly. "I guess, I just wanted to be the one to help her for a change. Obviously, she didn't want anyone else knowing for a reason. But Webby is always there for us and helping us out. I wanted to be there for her for once. I wanted to be there to save her without the others. Stupid huh?" He shrugged with a smile. "After all she did to help me with the mystery of mom. I thought I could finally return the favor."

"Dewey..." Louie reached out to his brother and hugged him.

Huey frowned and glanced at the ground clenching his fists. What else could they do? They looked everywhere-a word caught his eye as his gaze scanned the books scattered on the floor before them.

**Shadow.**

Eyes raised in alarm he dove for the book and began to flip through the pages rapidly. The cover read "Encyclopedia of Shadows" and as he flipped through the pages he stopped on one that read.

"The Shadow Realm"

The others stopped what they were doing when they heard Huey read those words. All three crammed together to read what it said and as they did all their eyes began to light up.

"Guys do you know what this means?" Dewey's smile got bigger.

"It means you are in a world of trouble." Donald's voice from behind them caused all three to jump.

Quickly hiding the book behind his back Dewey turned and grinned at his Uncle who had Mrs Beakley next to him with her arms folded.

"Yup were dead." Louie commented.

* * *

 

Scrooge was at the lab, studying the footage more carefully as well as some charts that were lying around. They were information on what the probe did and saw while on the moon and frankly no one could made heads or tails of anything in those diagrams. The information obviously had been corrupted on the way down to the earth and sighing, Scrooge set it down. This was a dilemma indeed. Should he waste resources on an expedition to the moon with the slight, very very slight possibility that Della was still alive and well? If it was 10 years ago he would have. But now.

He glanced at a photo of Donald, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Beakley and Webby and smiled. Now he wasn't the only one involved. As much as he wanted to solve this alone. He had learned from this last adventure, going it alone seemed to do more damage than good.

"I guess a family meeting is in order." As if on cue, the phone rang and seeing who it was he picked up the phone. "Mrs. Beakley I was just going to call ye. How are things there?"

"Mr McDuck we have a problem. Webby is missing." Her voice sounded oddly stable for having such a jarring statement.

"What?!" Scrooge's reaction instantly turned. "The boys told me she was with them. Are the boys gone too?"

"No, they are here. But, they won't say much else. Donald has them in a room right now." She shifted the phone to her other ear and gave a strained sigh. "Scrooge we need to find my granddaughter. I'm worried with Magica still around."

"Don't worry 22, I will find her." Glancing once more at the screenshot taken from the moon, Scrooge discarded it and quickly grabbed his cane and hat as he spoke. "And Don't worry, the lass couldn't get too far anyways."

* * *

 

"The Amazon?!" Louie's half whisper, half yell almost alerted Donald to the conversation between him and Huey, but Dewey quickly jumped in asking Donald something else which drew his focus back on the middle child.

Huey nodded once Donald was distracted and pointed to the map as well as a crude drawing of a temple. "I bet my Junior Woodchuck guidebook that Webby went there to save Lena."

"Great, awesome we might have found her but now what do we do? We have no way to get there. How did Webby even hitch a ride?" Louie frowned.

"We have to tell them something too." Huey frowned. "I don't think they would believe us now about Webby."

"So we need to tell the truth?" Louie almost looked pained.

"I really don't see any other way out of this." Huey sighed.

Louie looked down and then back at Donald. "Right.." he sighed. "Here we go."

"Uncle Donald?" Huey cut into the conversation between him and Dewey. "There is something we need to tell you, Mrs Beakley and Uncle Scrooge when he gets back."

Dewey looked at his brothers a little shocked and trying to read their faces. They looked guilty, does that mean-

"Boys." Donald said sternly with hands on his hips. "What have you been up to?"

"I'm sorry Uncle Donald. But we were doing it for Webby and this guy over here." Louie pointed to Dewey whose mouth was slightly open.

"Well explain more when Scrooge gets here we promise." Huey added in.

And like they had promised, when Scrooge came back, all six ducks were in the room. On one side were the parental figures. Donald looking at the boys with a concerned expression. Scrooge had his arms crossed and looked foreboding.

And Beakley looked the scariest of them all. She showed no emotion on her face. But her finger was tapping on her knee which sent shivers down all the triplets spines.

"Now," Beakley's tone seemed icy, almost menacing. "You three were going to tell me where my granddaughter is."

Louie had the look of a deer in the headlights, Huey was trying to keep himself calm by glancing at his guidebook and glancing up every once in a while to the others. He was also shaking a bit. Dewey just looked worried that his brothers would spill Webby's secret.

"Look, its not really a big deal I'm sure Webby's fine-" Dewey started.

Then Louie, who was now close to losing his lunch spat out "WEBBYWENTTOFINDLENAINSOUTHAMERICAAMAZONTOBESPECIFICTOFINDHERINTHESHADOWREALMPLEASEDON'TKILLUS!"

"Louie!" Dewey turned on his brother rapidly. "How could you say that?!"

Huey hesitated, but looked to their guardian and said. "We're sorry we lied about Webby, but we wanted to help her ourselves. It just didn't seem right telling on her. We thought you might try to stop her."

Scrooge looked confused for a minute. "Have ye gone daft? The wee lass was decimated before our very eyes. Why does she think Lena is still alive?"

The three boys glanced at each other nervously.

Sighing, Dewey crossed his arms. "Me and Webby visited a circus the other day and met some weird Psychic lady who said that Lena was alive but in the shadow realm. At first I don't think any of us believed her. But, that girl was good. She even knew my name before I ever told it to her. And...she knew about Lena."

Scrooge frowned. "What did this lady look like?"

Dewey made a face. "Pink hair, purple dress...crystal around her neck?"

Scrooge swore and sat back in his chair. "Bless me bagpipes its Lore."

"Lore?" Five voices asked at once.

"She's an acquaintance I met far back. That girl has- well anyway her fortunes are legitimate my boy. So if she says Lena's alive.." Scrooge lamented.

"Then, she is alive." Dewey's eyes widened and the hope in his heart flourished. "Webby was right! That means-"

"But." Scrooge slammed down his cane. "I don't think any of you realize that getting to the shadow realm is not as easy as finding a portal. Webby is in real danger, we have to go and stop her now before she gets hurt."

"Exactly." Mrs Beakley commented. "Even if Lena is alive somewhere this is not the way to go about finding her. We have to stop Webby before.." she couldn't finish that sentence. With that she left the room.

"And as for you three," Donald said. "are grounded!"

All three winced and Dewey frowned. "We are sorry Uncle Donald. We really didn't mean to worry anybody. But please let us go too." He held a fierce determination in his eyes. "We have to help Webby with this."

"No, its too dangerous, you three are staying behind at the Mansion." Donald sternly stated.

"Aye, the Jungle is no place for little ones to be, especially that temple." Scrooge stated grimly and also exited the room to get ready to travel to the temple.

"Uncle Donald!" All three boys harmonized.

"Webby needs us!" Dewey stated.

Donald frowned and looked at the three who each held a determined expression in their eyes. He sighed. "You guys will find a way to go anyways won't you?"

"You know it." Louie smirked with a finger on his touch screen phone. "If you won't let us come a long I could just order plane tickets." Louie smirked and held up his phone.

Dewey's eyes were watering as if he was going to cry. "Uncle Donald please, Webby helped me so much, she is family no matter what. I can't leave her there if something bad happens to her."

Huey added, "Besides she's more likely to run away from you all than us. Maybe we can convince her to come back without you guys needing to chase after her."

Donald glanced at each boy frowning, he sighed and held up one finger. "One minute boys." He left the room and while they couldn't hear much, they heard Donald and Scrooge talking. Then it turned into a argument and then objects started to break.

There was a small explosion and Donald's trademark angry quack before Scrooge came back looking a little worse for wear. He sighed and held something in his hands.

"Er, is Uncle Donald okay?" Huey asked trying to look around Scrooge.

"Yeah he's fine. The klutz just knocked over something I was studying and it got over him a bit." Scrooge waved away the concern. "The affects should wear off in a few hours."

He turned to the three now. "Now, he said that you three demand to come no matter what aye?" He sighed. "I wish ye wouldn't. But, I understand." His eyes met Dewey, who seemed determined no matter what. "But, you will have to wear these." He threw three necklaces at them.

They were simple gold with a large transparent stone encased within a gold facet.

"Eh, not really my color, but it should fetch a pretty penny." Louie grinned with dollar signs in his eyes.

"Uncle Scrooge? What's the point of these? Is that Quartz?" Huey eyed the gem thoughtfully.

"Aye, Quartz is a well known stone that can absorb negative shadow energy." Scrooge sighed.

"I thought you never used magic." Dewey hummed and put his necklace over his head.

"It's not magic! It's protection." Scrooge slammed his cane down. "Where were going is a direct link to the Shadow Realm. Its not a place for us."

"What happens in the shadow realm if you stay too long?" Huey asked, curious.

Narrowing his eyes, Scrooge sighed. "It's not really known what can happen to ye, but you can bet that it won't be good at all." Frowning, he wrapped his arms around the kids and drew the three close. "I understand your need to help the lass, but remember; sometimes the only way to help is to stop them before they do something foolish." All of them knew who he was talking about.

Louie's eyes dampened but he formed determined eyes and nodded. Huey was looking away and sighed. Dewey stared at his Uncle, with unshed tears and he really thought about the other said and then closed his eyes while lowering his head.

Scrooge pulled away from the group and stated. "We will be leaving in 30 minutes. Best get ready lads."

Once he left the triplets alone, Huey turned to Dewey and really looked at him. "Well?"

Dewey was already walking to their room with the other two close behind. "Well what?" Once they got there, he began to throw some things into a small backpack.

"After what Uncle Scrooge said, are you still willing to help Webby with saving Lena?" Tucking his favorite guide under his hat, Huey also grabbed a backpack and packed a few essentials.

Staring hard at the backpack, Dewey's eyes narrowed. "Webby isn't mom."

"Well that much is certain." Louie's commentary from the back wasn't helping.

Huey finished packing and blocked the doorway. "Look we get it, Lena means a lot to Webby and Webby is a part of our family too. I'm just saying."

"I don't want to hear it!" Shoving his way past his brother, Dewey ran to the plane with the others close behind.

Launchpad, Scrooge, Mrs Beakley, Donald and all three boys jumped onto the plane as it took off.

The rest of the plane ride was silent. But Huey was looking at his brother concerned. Louie took a nap.

But Dewey stared out the window, thinking. As much as he hated to admit it, Scrooge's words echoed through his mind. He couldn't be right about this, could he? 


	4. Flying?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Webby makes it to the Amazon, only to end up lost and while she knows Lena is nearby; she still feels the loss of the others. Meanwhile, the group is on their way to the Amazon. Dewey and Huey end up arguing about whether or not to save Lena, Huey bringing up some valid points that cause Dewey's determination to diminish. Beakley interrupts the two and chats with Dewey, revealing a little more about the danger Webby truly faces. Dewey is rethinking his decision.   
> Meanwhile, a lone dark figure schemes. It seems she is not out of the battle yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello All again!   
> Hope you are enjoying this fanfic! I'm grateful for the Kudos and comment I got so far! ^^. I'll update as fast as I can and hopefully you all will enjoy the story I wish to tell.   
> Here's a link to the song I have webby sing. Its from a favorite movie noone knows much about. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6D6UeDSxoc
> 
> Everyone have a wonderful day!

**Four Hours earlier.**

As her flight landed, Webby admired her surroundings with awe and excitement. Briefly, she wondered what the triplets would say about this place. Louie would probably complain about the lack of signal on his phone. Dewey would want to rush out into the jungle, Huey would probably check his guidebook for flowers or fauna or try to get a badge. At this, Webby smiled a bit.

"Alright! Adventure we-I go!" raising her arm she let out a battle cry and ran through the airport until she got through the exit.

And what awaited outside was more than she could have possibly imagined. There was a city yes, but within sight she could see the jungle. Pulling out her map she stuck out her tongue as she traced her fingers through the path she would take. "Alright, good. Let's go! Right Lena?" She grinned down at her shadow and then folding her map back up she raced through the city towards the jungle beyond.

Once she reached the Jungle she quickly found the right path to take and started her journey. Being as careful as she could, she made her way through the jungle. Luckily she had brought a small knife to chop away branches and defend herself from the snakes and spiders she would run into. The dense canopy had blocked a lot of the light and since it was midday she could still see her shadow. Every once in a while she would glance back at it but it disappointingly remained her own.

Getting a bit tired of the silence she began to talk like Lena was there. "You know Lena, I always wanted to go on adventures like this with you. I thought together we would really kick butt right? I could see us scaling walls and getting out of death traps. Those Venation Sacrificial Chambers are strangely elaborate and deadly come to think of it." She paused and glanced back once more. Seeing nothing change she continued on. "Honestly, I love Huey, Dewey and Louie. They were...are my first friends outside of the manor. They accepted me for who I am. I trust them with my life and they have really helped open my eyes to the world outside. But still..." She smiled sadly. "There are just some things I can't talk to them about. When you came into my life I felt like everything fit so perfectly. Even without Unc-Mr. McDucks acknowledgment." It was true those biting words still hurt. But Webby was tough. She could weather anything, she believed that. She was brought up to be strong of will and heart. And she loved her Granny who raised her to be that way.

"Granny's going to be really mad when she finds out what I did." Chuckling a bit, She dodged a viper attacking her from her right. Tiptoeing around a spider web she didn't break her gaze to the ground. "It's funny, I never thought I would run away like that. Huh..This is my first real adventure alone. Feels kind of...lonely."

"Hey Lena." At this rate Webby was desperate to keep talking. "Have you heard of this movie? It's really obscure. Its called Silver Sleuths: Secret of Bunny Mountain. Its about these two girls who go on adventures together. Kind of like us huh? They go through this mountain to find treasure and end up finding more about themselves in the process and each other. You you kind of remind me of one of the girls." She grinned. "Tough and lonely, but welcoming of friends with a slight edge." Humming, she felt herself slip into one of the songs of the movie.

" _If you wait for an answer_

_From somewhere up above_

_You may never hear the laughter_

_You've been dreaming of_

_Now were flying so high_

_With the world down below_

_Spread your wings across the sky..._ " Before she could finish she slipped and fell down a rather steep cliff. Letting out a gasp, she reached within her pack and grasped her grappling hook. Aiming it above her she pressed the button and the hook flew out, grabbing the edge of the cliff, Webby felt her body violently jerk and she was left suspended with the tops of trees barely brushing her feet below.

Panting, she realized how close of a call that was as she surveyed her surroundings. Testing the hook, she realized she couldn't get back up the way she came. The hold on the earth was slipping above her. The earth itself was crumbling. So the only real way was down.

She felt a tug from behind her and hesitantly looking back she could see the dark eyes of Lena. Her shadow was being cast upon the cliff wall, the sun lowering behind her. Letting out a small gasp she barely focused on what Lena was trying to mime to her. Just the pure shock of seeing her again made her freeze. Meanwhile Lena's frantic miming was getting more desperate as she noticed the crumbling cliff above. This wasn't good, if Webby didn't figure something out ASAP she would be seriously hurt at least.

After a few more seconds of ogling, Webby snapped out of it and gazed up as the grappling hook started to give way. Lena's face turned to horror and uselessly grasped for the now falling best friend.

Webby had only seconds to react, shock turned into determination and she yanked something from her backpack. Opening the umbrella in midair slowed her decent considerably. She was still falling but as she hit the canopy, she felt the branches and umbrella break most of her fall.

Still hitting the ground hurt none the less.

Biting down on her beak, Webby let out a groan and flopped onto her side checking for any broken limbs.

Nothing broken, but her right wrist was sore and she had a few scrapes here and there. Twigs and leaves were stuck in her feathers and hair. But despite everything, she thought she managed pretty well.

"See Lena everything's fine.." But as she smiled tiredly down to her shadow she realized it had turned back. "Lena?" She reached down and put a hand on her shadow. Sighing, she stood back on her feet and quickly surveyed her surroundings. There was no path in sight. She was more or less lost in the Jungle. Swallowing back a bit of unease she realized she didn't have very long until the sun had set. That was when the real dangers emerged from their hiding.

Thankful that her supplies were still intact, she used her compass, night vision goggles and map of the area to find a place to spend the night. It was an old cave that had been a popular sightseeing attraction before it had closed down due to inactivity.

Dragging herself inside she pulled out a glow stick. Cracking and shaking it she studied her surroundings and found a little pathway further up that had a secluded room she could spend the night in. The temperature was dropping rapidly and she was glad that she had packed a jacket. Despite the Amazon being humid it was far from warm in the evening. The rain had started and as Webby cuddled with her glowstick and bag of supplies, she briefly wondered if she would be able to find the temple.

_Would it have been better to go with Mr. McDuck?_

Shaking her head she sighed and leaned back feeling her sore body start to give way on her. Some of her last thoughts were of the family she left behind, her Granny and the boys. She wished they were there with her. But even she knew, despite how much she was missing them she had to do this on her own. She couldn't give up now that she had come this far.

* * *

 

 

"This is your captain speaking we will reach the Amazon is approx.. Ten hours! Thank you for traveling with Launchpad Air!" Launchpad announced from the backseat, awakening quite a few of the dozing passengers.

Louie in midsnore awoke with a "Huh? Wha? Where am I?"

Huey, who was still clutching a radio that had been long turned off, awoke with a jolt and yelled. "Aeroplanes are designed to handle lightning strikes!"

Everyone looked at him and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry I yell facts when nervous."

"Launchpad, did ye really need to announce that at 2:30 in the morning?" Scrooge commented, circles under his eyes.

"Yes, yes I did!" Launchpad said proudly.

Donald grumbled a few choice words under his breath.

Louie also grumbled and pulled the covers over his face. "UGH, wake me up in like 10 hours.. or whenever this adventure ends..whichever comes first!"

Huey was about to go back to bed too when he noticed Dewey not in his blanket. Glancing around, he saw him staring out one of the windows. Looking down, he grasped onto the blanket and stood up, walking to his younger brother.

"Dewey.." he started, but the blue duck simply held his arm back, palm exposed to the red clad duck as if to say, 'I don't want to talk to you.'

But Huey wasn't letting this go. "Dewey. We have to talk."

"If its about what you said before I don't want to hear it. Stop being a broken record." Dewey glared at the glass harder.

"You can't just expect this to go away." Huey said, exasperated. He tried to be patient with his brother but the others stubbornness was going to get them all hurt or killed, especially Webby and he wished the other could see that.

"There is nothing to go away. Webby needs help, we help her save Lena and everyone is happy." Dewey stated through strained teeth.

"Right, happy." Huey paused, shaking his head before glaring at his brother again. "And what if we can't save Lena? What then?"

Dewey paused, still staring out the window his head snapped to his brother. "What do you mean if we can't save her? We just need to pull her from the Shadow Realm! It's that easy."

"And what if it's not?" Huey countered. "There are too many unknowns Dewey. What are you going to do if she can't be saved?"

"It's better to try than not!" Dewey pointed his finger into his brothers chest.

"Not if our lives are at risk! Think Dewey you are not only risking yourself here! What if Webby-"

"Don't say that. I would never let her get hurt!"

"What about us? Your brothers! Or Scrooge, or Uncle Donald or anyone else!"

"That's not fair!"

"That-"

"ALRIGHT ENOUGH!" Mrs Beakley said, stepping between the two whose shouts could be heard throughout the entire cabin now. She separated them both with her arms and watched as two sets of eyes, once enraged focused entirely on her.

"Huey, get to bed." She ordered, pointing off towards the others. Huey reluctantly went, glancing once more at his brother before walking away.

Sulking a little, Dewey turned away, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Now, boy." Her voice sounded creepier than normal and for a second Dewey forgot his anger as he slowly turned back to the spy.

"Yes Mrs. Beakley?" Dewey's voice rose at least 4 octaves from fear.

She studied him for a second before sighing and sitting down, letting him sit next to her.

"Dewey, I admire your dedication to my granddaughter. Your friendship to her has really opened her world and I admit, seeing her with you and your brothers, that's the happiest she's ever been." She smiled at this and Dewey smiled back.

"That being said, you know she has some difficulty with dealing with certain things. Saying goodbye is defiantly one of them." Clenching a fist in her lap, Mrs Beakley stared off. "This is her first real goodbye to someone since she lost her pet when she was still very young. And while there may be a possibility Lena is not dead and in the Shadow Realm, it hurts to see her torture herself trying to find any scrap of a possibility to bring her back. She is my granddaughter and I love her and trust in her to do the right thing. But sometimes, emotion clouds judgement. I just.." She sighed. "I just don't want another tragedy..I don't believe Lena would want her to risk her life either." She glanced back at Dewey who was staring at the ground.

"I don't, want that either. To see Webby so sad. She's my best friend. It hurts us to see her like this too. That's why I wanted to see her smile again." He glanced up meeting her eyes. "Why are you and Scrooge so sure that this plan won't work?"

"The Shadow Realm...well it cannot sustain life from our reality." Rubbing her eyes she pressed her face into the palm of her hand. "It's not designed to handle anyone from our world to be there for too long."

"What do you mean?" Dewey asked, confused.

"The longest anyone has been able to last in that world has been one hour. There are stories of course of people going through that gate and never returning as well. But I believe we will reach her before she sets foot in that godforsaken place."

Dewey glanced at her again and swallowed. "What exactly is the Shadow Realm. What's....inside there?"

Mrs Beakley lifted her head and glanced down at the boy who was looking at her with wide eyes. "No one really knows. But.." she glanced foreword. "Some texts have stated that it is a dark place with no light. Filled with dangerous unknown creatures and beings. I only hope Webby would have enough common sense left to never go there."

Standing up, she said goodnight to Dewey, but even as he wandered back to his blanket his mind was reeling.

"Webby, what have we done?" he whispered to himself as he lay down, grasping at the blanket tighter.

Unbeknownst to him, three other pairs of eyes slid open. Two brothers and one rich uncle. Each holding a look of concern and sadness.

The rest of the trip was silent.

* * *

 

 

A slowly aging female duck cursed her luck. She cursed many things. She cursed the rat that scurried past her with a half eaten cinnamon roll, she cursed the happy people walking past her dark alley she was forced to curl up in. Most of all, she cursed Scrooge McDuck and his little brats. Everything was all their fault. Clenching her feathered hands into fists, she growled, thinking of how things went at Scrooge's money bin. It had all been a waste. Her staff was no longer functional. While she was back in the world and no longer trapped within that accursed dime she realized she would need to adapt to this new world.

But without her magic there was limitations on what she could accomplish. Stealing was her best bet for now. She still could do simple magic so she wasn't completely powerless. But she would need to find more magic soon. She couldn't stand being without it. Thinking, she smirked. There was that she supposed.

"Well I guess its time to return to basics." Chuckling she pulled forth a tome from her bag and opened it to a page. On the top of the page she opened to it read: "The Shadow Stone."

"Not as powerful as a Sumerian Amulet. But it will do...I suppose a trip to South America is in order." Grinning, she snapped the book shut and started to walk. 


	5. Protecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Within the cave Webby takes shelter in, she is able to talk to Lena for a little bit. Finding herself more determined, Webby continues her trek towards the temple. Meanwhile, the plane crashes and the others scramble out and try to follow Webby's trail. Another secret of the Shadow Realm is revealed and in a panic, the boys run off without the adults. But during this, Dewey realizes why he is so determined to help Webby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Here's another chapter for you all. It's been a busy week for me but I managed to get another one out. Its another not so long one but I hope you don't mind! Were getting closer and closer to the end! Hope you guys like where this is going. The next chapter should really be getting good. I had a lot of fun writing that crash scene as well as Dewey's realization. 
> 
> Also, Webby for the win! Who knew peanut butter could stop a crazed beast? XD See you next week! 
> 
> Lore

Slowly opening her eyes, Webby only saw darkness. Her breathing halted as she instantly jumped up and got into her fighting position. But when she realized she still couldn’t see much, memories of the night before returned to her. The glow stick must have run out of juice. Feeling around, she finally found her pack and pulled out another glow stick, once it was snapped she held it out and surveyed the cave around her in awe. She was too tired to really realize it last night but this thing was huge! With the limited light she could see the stalagmite and stalactites all over the room in the cave. They seemed to glow a light blue and pulse. She hesitantly walked over to one and placed her hand upon it.

“I wonder why they glow like this.” She asked, eyes wide with wonder. Her hand with the bracelet brushed against the glowing blue towers and suddenly the bracelet began to glow blue as well.

She gasped, taking a step back. “What was-“

“Webby!” A voice from behind her caused her to freeze up. But a second later she recognized that voice. She spun around so fast she was surprised she didn’t get dizzy.

“Lena?!” There was hope, fear and concern in her voice. Her eyes misted as she stared at the wall of the cave. There was Lena, well her shadow anyways.

“Webby you can hear me!” Lena was surprised, but relieved and even happy.

“Lena!” Webby launched herself at the wall and grasped onto it tightly. “Lena!Lena!” She squealed, crying and laughing.

Surprised at the others outburst, Lena struggled to hold her shape as Webby tried to hug the wall. Taking a step to the side, Lena took a breath and smiled slightly. “Calm down Pink, Don’t want you starting a cave in.” she chuckled a bit.

Laughing, Webby wiped a tear from her eyes and smiled brightly. “Lena, how is this possible?”

“I dunno, I was sleeping and then wham I was here staring at you. Wait..what happened to the bracelet?” Lena’s eyes widened at the glow the bracelet emitted. She glanced around and realized something.

“This entire cave…has some kind of shadow magic.” Lena said softly. “No wonder I feel a little stronger. You must have absorbed some of it into the bracelet.”

Forming a determined face, Webby got to her feet and went back to the glowing stalagmites. “Wait if I can get enough power from these can you come back?”

“Webs..” Lena’s voice sounded sad.

Looking back at the shadow, the answer she gave was enough. Grasping onto one of glowing towers of stone she sighed. “Right, it can’t be that easy huh? Otherwise its not much of a challenge.” She grinned a bit and turned to the other. “Lena I promise I will rescue you!” Looking ahead she began to run out of the cave.

Lena glanced up at the other. “Webby wait!” She tried to call the other but she had already left the room.

Like that, Lena began to feel weak again.

_Webby no! Don’t go there! When I gave you that book I didn’t mean this to happen…._

Feeling herself fade, Lena could only hope that Webby would figure it out before it was too late. Once more she became Webby’s shadow.

Running through the Jungle, Webby kept a hand firmly around the map. She just had to find a marker to see where the temple was. It took a little bit, but finally she found herself on the right path again. Her tracking skills defiantly came in handy as well as a GPS device.

Feeling accomplished and running on pure adrenaline, Webby made it to the temple in record time. It was only noon when she spotted the towering stone building rise above the treeline. Slowing to a stop, her jaw nearly dropped at the ancient and amazing building. It was covered in vines, and the deterioration on the granite caused her to think that this place hadn’t been touched by man in a long time.

“Wow, if Huey was here he’d be freaking out right now.” Bursting out into a grin, Webby jumped and spun around in a circle. “I did it! I made it here!” Laughing she swung on a nearby vine that was hanging from a tree. “I really did it!”

After she got that out of her system, she began to search for the door. It appeared like a typical Incan temple, but with two guardian statues on either side of the staircase. Both appeared to be serpents of some kind. But they weren’t dragons or snakes that Webby could make out. Shrugging a bit, she walked past them, climbing the stairs and reaching the top. Before her was a large stone slab with ancient writing on it. She looked a bit. “Hmmm, my Incan is a little rusty but I think it says that the only way to enter this place is to ‘defeat the Am-Amer-Amaru?’”

A sudden sound from behind her made her freeze. Slowly she looked behind her.

The two double headed snake like statues came to life, eyes glowing red.

Clenching her fists, Webby grinned and stepped back. “Alright! Blood thirsty monster statues! That’s what I’m talking about!”

Cracking her neck to one side, then the other, she launched herself into the air as one of the snakes snapped to where she once was standing.

Flying through the air, she took her grappling hook and fired it. It grabbed onto some nearby branches and she flew through the air. Sending a swift kick to one of the leaping serpents jaw, she pulled something else from her backpack.

Peanut butter.

Grabbing a fistful, she threw it into another’s eye. Causing temporary blindness, it roared and the other head hissed and launched itself up to bite her.

“Nice try!” She was ready with an open glow stick. “Sorry about this!” She poured the obviously toxic liquid into the stone beings mouth.

Its face instantly turned green and collapsed.

One down.

Her feet hit the ground as the other two headed snake thing sprung at her. Side stepping and spinning, she grinned as it faceplanted into a wall of the temple.

The stone door began to crumble with the stone snake whose eyes had gone black.

“Yes!” She grinned and ran up to the door glancing inside. “I hope there are more fun dangerous traps like this!” Not even skipping a beat she ran inside.

Just as the distant sound of a plane crash was heard.

* * *

 

“Excellent landing as always Launchpad.” Scrooge commented dryly, hanging from a few vines with arms crossed.

“Thanks Mr McDee! I always aim to please!” Launchpad replied enthusiastically, hanging from his foot.

“Uh guys? You okay?” Donald asked from the open door of the Sunchaser, which was snug between two very large trees, the plane almost bent in the shape of a U.

“Splendid.” Scrooges’ sarcasm was at full force today.

Dewey was already swinging on some vines and landing on his feet to the jungle floor below. Huey and Louie followed. Beakley jumped from the Sunchaser, grasping the vine that held Scrooge and broke it, grasping onto him and swinging them both to the ground below.

Donald gulped and looked down. It was really only a few feet down. But he still held an irrational fear. Jumping, he grasped for a vine only for it to break as he had his hand on it.

“Uh oh.” With that he began to fall. A few desperate quacks later he grabbed onto an armful of vines which all broke in succession.

“COME ON!” with that he landed flat on his face.

That caused the vine on Launchpad’s foot to break. He screamed as he fell onto Donald.

Talk about causing insult to injury.

As Scrooge and Beakley helped the duo up, the boys had already started to go ahead. Huey had the map and was leading with Dewey glancing around in slight awe. Louie was trying to get his phone to work. When the dreaded No Signal blared onto his screen.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOO!” was Louies dramatic response.

“I was waiting for that.” Huey commented.

“Well if no blood thirsty animals knew we were here before..” Dewey added.

As Louie lamented over the loss of service, Scrooge set his hand on Huey’s shoulder.

“Now come now there aren’t that many blood thirsty animals in the Amazon.  There’s a type of dolphin, squirrel monkeys, River otters…”

“And Jaguars, Pumas, Anacondas, Poison dart frogs..” Huey added, head deep in the JWG.

“Wait wait wait! Poison dart Frogs? Even frogs are deadly here? Louie out!” Louie began to spin around and head back to the Sunchaser when Dewey grabbed the hood of his brothers sweater and dragged him along.

“Louie you can’t bail on me now! Webby needs all of us!” Dewey continued to drag his brother along, despite him squirming and whining. 

“Webby doesn’t need anyone! She could probably stare at a Jaguar and it would run away with its tail in between its legs!” Louie sighed.

Well no one could really deny that.

“A technique I perfected thank you.” Mrs Beakley commented.

“Wait, what that’s true?” Louie gaped at the former spy, who was smirking.

Taking the map from Huey, Scrooge studied it and glanced foreword. “The temple is that a way.” He pointed before them as the sun was slowly starting its decent. “We have to reach it before nightfall.”

“Why?” Huey asked, curious.

Scrooge’s frown and guilty look was all they needed to realize that there was something he didn’t tell them.

“Mr McDuck?” Beakley raised an eyebrow.

Scrooge sighed. “The doorway to the Shadow Realm is a fickle thing. It can only be opened until the time that shadows vanish from the world.”

“Night.” Dewey’s face instantly looked terrified. “Webby. Does she know this?!”

Scrooge shook his head sadly. “No one really knows this. If we don’t reach her before the sunsets she will be trapped there until the morning.”

“But…she could die by then!” Huey looked frantic and suddenly all three triplets began to run with Beakley following behind. They had to reach the temple before her. But knowing how much a head start she had on them, Dewey’s gut was telling him that they were already too late. And with that came the sickening emotion of pure panic and despair. But his stomach wasn’t the only ones turning in knots. Huey was part looking at the map and part trying to think on his feet. Suddenly a cliff appeared before them all and Huey grabbed both of their shirts and skidded to a stop before all three could plummet down. Breathing hard, the 3 hadn’t realized that Scrooge and the others were far behind them.

“Huh, that could be a problem.” Louie commented, looking down.

“But look!” Huey pointed to the left. The temple was below them a couple miles East.

“We have to get down there somehow.” Dewey pondered.

“After you Dewford.” Louie bowed.

Rolling his eyes at his brother, Dewey crossed his arms and thought about how to get down. Glancing around he saw the vines. “I got it…”

Tying a few vines together and tying the rest to a nearby tree, together the group threw the vines down the cliff.

“Can I just say that this really isn’t a good idea.” Huey commented, flipping through his book rapidly.

“Eh, we’ve been through worse.” Louie commented and grabbed the book from Huey’s hands and threw it down the cliff.

Huey let out the shrillest scream. “MY BOOK!” He spun to Louie with tears in his eyes. “You MONSTER.”

“Eh, I’ve been called worse.” Louie smirked with a shrug. “After you bro.”

Resisting an eye twitch, Huey quickly wrapped a vine around his waist and grasped onto the larger one, propelling down the rather steep cliff. Trying to go fast but at the same time slow so he doesn’t lose his footing he scaled down with little problem. Once he was on the ground he searched frantically for his book.

Louie scaled down it next, He was a bit tenser and quite literally took his time getting down. But he too got down without any problems.

Now came Dewey’s turn. Now at this point, Dewey was antsy. His gaze was on the temple before him. If Webby was already inside and reached the portal. Clenching his hands too tightly, he grasped onto the vine and began his descent.

He quickly started down.

By this time, Huey found his book and dusted it off while Louie was looking up in slight wonder at Dewey.

Huey’s eyes widened a bit. “Dewey be careful! Go slower!”

“I can’t! The more time we spend doing this the longer it will take to get to Webby!” As his feet nearly missed a couple footholds he still continued his descent. Focusing purely on the cliff in front of him he tried to go down faster.

“I mean it! Dewey watch-"

“UGH shut up Hubert!” He stomped on one foothold that crumbled beneath him. Letting out a yelp he felt his grip loosen on the vine and suddenly he was falling.

“Dewey!” Both brothers yelled and ran to catch him.

Landing on both brothers, the triplets crumbled into a pile of ducks.

All three let out versions of “Ow.”

Hissing a bit, Dewey pulled himself up and tested his body. Everything hurt, most of all his wrist but he ignored it.

“Darn it Dewey! Next time listen to me,” Huey grumbled and rubbed his leg a bit.

“Seriously it’s less painful that way.”  Louie added, pointing up as he was still lying on the ground.

“We don’t have time for that. We have to reach the portal before Webby makes it inside. Aren’t you guys worried?” Dewey glanced back at his brothers.

Huey and Louie shared a look and Huey frowned. “Of course we are Dewey. Webby is our friend too. She’s not just your friend.” He pointed his finger at his brother. “But I also know that she wouldn’t us killing ourselves trying to save her. It seems to me you don’t trust her. You know more than anyone that Webby isn’t fragile glass.”

Dewey looked away.

“What’s this really about Dewey?” Louie asked.

“We don’t have time for this!” Pushing past his brothers, Dewey ran through the jungle.

“Oh here we go again.” Huey muttered. His brothers ran after Dewey who was trying not to cry as he ran.

“I will save you.” The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them and a vision of his mom came before Dewey’s eyes as he ran. Tripping he felt himself tumble to the ground as a realization hit him.

“Dewey!” Huey yelled and saw his brother on the ground. Next to him was a large snake who looked poised ready to strike.

Freezing, Huey grabbed onto Louie who had just arrived. He also wore the same expression and both were scared for their brother who at the moment hadn’t realized what danger he was in.

Dewey was swallowing hard at the realization of what this really was about.

“It’s mom..” He whispered.

“W-wha?” This was the only thing Louie could say at the moment.

“This…this entire thing is about mom.” Dewey half whispered, half yelled.

“Dewey now isn’t really the time-“ Huey started.

“Then when is the right time Hubert?!” Dewey snapped his head up. A low hissing stopped the blue clad duck and slowly he turned his head behind himself.

“Not Good Time!” Launching himself into the air, Dewey reached out towards his brothers. Each one grabbed an arm and together the three began to run with a snake fast on their heels.

Leaping over fallen branches and ducking under lower ones, the trio zigzagged their way through the jungle until they broke through into a clearing.

And towering above them was the temple. Dewey gaped, Huey’s eyes were wide and Louie took a pic with his phone.

“Is……..that………granite?” Huey was instantly by the bricks of the temple base.

Louie rolled his eyes. “C’mon nerd.”

Dewey noticed a statue that was broken in half near the entrance. He reached foreword and pulled back a finger covered in…peanut butter?

“Webby was already here.” Dewey commented, looking a little worried.

“Come on then!” Both Huey and Louie were already making their way up the stairs.

Giving his brothers a smile he followed them up. “Hey guys, sorry I’ve been a little difficult.”

“You mean like usual?” Louie smirked.

Dewey returned the favor with added eyeroll.

“I think we were all affected by the events the past few weeks. Its been..hard to digest at best.” Huey said with a sigh. “I was just worried about you Dewey. I didn’t want you to end up running away or something equally dangerous.”

“I know, and I’m sorry that I let this….fear get the best of me. I was just so afraid that Webby would end up like mom. I just, don’t know why. Ever since I heard what Scrooge said, then you. I just, I wanted to help her and stop her at the same time. I thought I was doing the right thing as a friend. But maybe I was mixing them up. I couldn’t save mom.” He sighed. “None of us could.”

“But you thought you could protect Webby?” Huey finished.

Dewey smiled weakly. “Lame huh? You guys have said it before she can take care of herself. I should trust her.”

“Right.” Huey put a hand on his shoulder. “But remember this too. Friends do what they can for others. Besides, she’s more like a sister than a friend right?”

“What a drag, does that mean if anyone come to date her we got to scare them away?” Louie lamented, still on his phone.

Huey and Dewey grinned and laughed a bit.

Dewey started to walk towards the doorway. “You bet I will.”

“Well they would need to be smarter than me.” Huey smirked.

“And be able to out con me.” Louie crossed his arms.

“Dude with us three, Uncle Donald, Uncle Scrooge and Mrs Beakley, I’d be surprised if any one got past.” Dewey looked evil. “We should totally tease her about this when we see her.”

“Anyway,” Huey steered everything back on track. “The point is, worry but don’t obsess. We can protect her together. After all, there’s got to be some things that even Webby can’t handle.”

 

 


	6. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Webby makes it inside only for her to come face to face with Magica DeSpell. The sorceress tries to take the Shadow Stone, but Webby and the triplets manage to snag it away from her. But at the cost of Webby being tossed within the portal. Demanding Magica to bring her back, Scrooge and the others arrive and Magica manages to turn the tide against them. Using a final trick, Scrooge locks them all within the temple and gives Magica a choice. Meanwhile, Webby awakens in the Shadow Realm being chased by the shadows of her own family. Luckily, Lena is there to save her. They have a heart to heart, and Webby wonders if her decision to save Lena is the right one.

“Well…that was anticlimactic.” Webby slapped her hands together, dusting them off as she entered the main room. Behind her lay carnage of the Webby kind. Broken arrows scattered and piercing the opposite walls, a random goat bleating, smoke from a magical fire two rooms down and a few scattered feathers.

Wringing out her skirt from the flooded room and brushing some feathers and black singe from her hair she made her way towards the middle of the room.

“Honestly though, the goat room was a surprise.” She added as an afterthought.

 She glanced back at her shadow which seemed to shake their head with a slight grin at the younger ducks antics. 

As she glanced around the room she saw a pedestal holding a large gem. It was completely black but had a transparent quality to it. It was an orb of pulsing, swirling dark energy. Studying it, she couldn’t help but be fascinated. “What is this?” she reached up and another pulse of shadow energy shocked her, the bracelet instantly lighting up.

“Webby watch out!” Lena once more spoke and she brightened up. “I can talk again! Yes!”

“Lena!” Webby turned to her friend.

“Webby! I have to tell you something! Don’t-“ A gust of wind blew through the chamber, knocking Webby off her feet and into the pedestal that held the Shadow Stone. Seeing this, Webby reached up and grabbed the orb before it could shatter and hit the ground.

“Webby!” Lena sounded worried.

Feeling pinpricks of energy zapping into her body when she touched it, Webby yelped and quickly put the gem back.

“Ow that hurt! What is that thing?” Webby rubbed her hands.

“The Shadow Stone.” Lena stated quickly. “It is said to open portals and bring great energy to those who possess it. But Webby that’s not-“

Webby looked excited. “That means I can get to you in the Shadow Realm!” quickly she ran to the other wall and began to read the text on the walls.

“Webby wait, I was…” Lena started to say but her voice started to vanish and in horror she realized the reason why as a shadow form appeared from behind Webby.

“Hang on Lena I just have this about figured out.” Webby placed her chin between her thumb and index finger as she glanced at the symbols on the wall thoughtfully. She grinned and spun around. “Lena I’ve got it-“ Her smile instantly changed to horror as she saw the absolutely last person she wanted to standing behind her and holding the Shadow Stone.

“Magica DeSpell!”

Webby instantly got into fight mode, eyes narrowed. Her shadow seemed to form an offensive position, Lena feeling the slight rage overcome her fear.

“Yes yes yes, Wendy was it?” Magica said absently, raising her eyebrow at the shadow Lena.

“Webby.” Said duck corrected.

“Ah yes, Webby.” She replied, ice dripping from each syllable. “One of the few that destroyed any chance I had of regaining my full magic back.” She spat, pointing at Webby, then at Lena. “You both and your stupid ‘magic’ of friendship ruined everything!” hissing, she took a threatening step closer to Webby.

Webby stood her ground, grinning a bit. “Well I think it worked pretty well so far.” She winked at Lena who nodded.

Snarling, Magica clenched her hand into a fist, then glanced at the stone she held. Her side glance shifted to them both and a sinister smirk warped her features.

“But I see that you are here, for what I wonder? Oh you must want to save poor stupid dumb Lena-shadow over there. You mean to go into the shadow realm don’t you?” Waving her arm, a portal suddenly appeared behind Webby. Turning back slightly, she gasped and glanced back at Magica.

“Is that really a portal to the Shadow Realm?” Webby asked, suspicious.

“Of course it is, now don’t look like that. I do hate you and that urchin attached to your shadow. Which is why I doubt you will be able to get back out once inside.” Magica smirked. “Go on dear, you know you want to be a hero to your ‘friend’”. She gagged at the word. “Honestly that word is horrendous.”

Webby, feeling at a crossroads, glanced back at the portal with a thoughtful expression. Suddenly Lena was before her waving her arms frantically and looking at the other, pleading with her eyes.

Webby was thinking fast but before she could make a decision, she heard a noise.

“Oh Come on! Goats? really?!” Louie’s frustrated voice echoed.

“TAKE THAT!” Dewey bellowed, a crash followed soon after.

“Guys the Junior Woodchuck…” Huey’s voice cut off.

“Wait, what?!” Webby spun around in time to see Magica right behind her. Gasping, she dodged Magica’s attempt to grab her and rolled away, getting to her feet and turning around. “What are you doing?!” She glanced at the stone. “I refuse to go in there until you return the Shadow Stone!”

“Now…my dear I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Magica’s voice echoed ominously, once more trying to grab the tiny girl who spun and kicked her in the waist before cartwheeling away and trying to find a way to grab the stone.

Glancing around her for anything to use as a weapon. She didn’t expect Magica to recover so fast.

Nor did she expect that blast of shadow energy. It hit her in the side which caused a cry from her beak as she collapsed. her body and bracelet seemed to glow a dark black from the energy. 

“Webby?!” Dewey’s voice echoed through the hallway. She heard the trio getting closer and opened her bill to warn them. But Magica grasped her by her collar and dragged her towards the portal.

“Webby answer us!”

“Webs c’mon!”

But she couldn’t, struggling in the others hold she glared down at the woman who nearly took everything away from them all. But Magica was smirking and holding the stone to her side, dark energy seemed to suddenly slip down her arm and into her body. A coldness swept through Webby’s own body watching a fear come to life.

Reaching out she tried to grab the stone from the others grasp, kicking her in the chest for good measure.

“Webby!” Three voices chorused as the boys entered the room.

“Oh great the boy band is here to save the day.” Magica commented dryly, catching her breath from the kick. This gave Webby the chance to bite Magica’s arm that held the stone.

Letting out a curse, the duck dropped the stone and grasped Webby with both hands.

Louie ran and grabbed the stone as Dewey was running towards them both.

“Let her go!”

But Magica blasted them away with shadow energy and smirked to them all.  The amulets around their necks glowed, absorbing the shadow energy and taking most of the brunt of the blast.

“Oh I’m so sorry. Did you mean to stop me?!” Webby was feeling really weak after being hit with so much shadow energy. She gazed at the triplets with slight worry.

“Well, take one last look and say goodbye to your little friends.” Before their very eyes they saw Magica toss Webby through the portal.

“NO!” Dewey launched himself at Magica in a desperate attempt to stop her. But he was too late and she dodged his attack. He stared at the portal in shock.

Meanwhile Magica was running towards Louie, who held the stone. “Give that back you brat!”

Louie looked around frantically until he saw Huey. “Huey heads up!” He threw it at his brother who caught it in midair and began to run as her target changed to him. Huey frantically tried to keep it away as long as he could. But soon he became trapped and saw Dewey nearby. Granted he was still a bit of shock.

“Dewey!!” Huey yelled, throwing the stone as far as he could towards the blue duck.

Dewey’s head turned as he saw Magica go after the stone. Despite some tears in his eyes he ran and grabbed the stone as it clattered to the ground. Turning abruptly, he ran from Magica. “Bring Webby back!” he yelled.

“Give me back that gem you brat!” Magica hissed.

“No!” He stopped and held up the stone. “If you don’t bring her back, I will smash this!”

Magica stopped as well. “You wouldn’t…”

“Don’t. Test. Me.” Dewey said, his brothers on either side of him.

“Without that stone your little friend will never return.” Magica smirked.

At that, Dewey faltered as another voice boomed into the room.

“What in Dismal Downs is going on in here? Ay, Magica you spiteful spellcaster! Leave the boys alone!” Scrooge appeared with Donald and Beakley at his side.

“Oh great, you lot.” Magica deadpanned.

“Uncle Scrooge catch!” Dewey threw the stone at him. The other caught it easily and glanced down at it briefly.

He smirked at Magica who was now looking murderous.

“Give me back that stone.” She growled through clenched teeth. But Scrooge leaned on his cane with a raised eyebrow.

“Now I don’t think I heard ye say please.”

“Give us Webby back!” Huey yelled, eyes narrowed with his brothers on either side. Dewey was looking worriedly at the swirling portal.

A beat.

“How did you even get here before all of us?” Louie suddenly asked.

Magica, who was trying to control her temper simply pointed to a window high in the wall closer to the ceiling.

“Ohhhh that makes sense…” Louie commented.

“Wait wheres Launchpad?” Huey suddenly looked around.

On cue, Launchpad stumbled into the room looking rather beaten up with arrows stuck in him and sporting several lumps and bruises.

“So…many…..goats..” He fainted.

“I feel ya man.” Louie pat his friend.

Magica looked annoyed she was being ignored.

“How did you guys get past those goats anyways?” Huey wondered.

“Beakley and Donald are surprisingly good goat herders.” Scrooge commented.

“How did you boys get through them?” Donald wondered, walking over and hugging his boys. He was so relieved they were safe.

“Easy, we doused Louie with salt and let the goats run!” Dewey smirked, while Louie huffed, crossing his arms.

“Not Cool Dewford.” Louie groused.

“Aww c’mon, we fished you out.”

While the others were talking, Magica’s anger flared a bit more. “ **Shut up all of you!** Scrooge, give me the amulet. You already took my staff from me.”

“How about no? The boys said ye did something with Webbigail. Where is she?” Scrooge demanded.

All three boys looked sad and Huey pointed to the portal.

“No.” Beakley gasped.

Magica smirked. “Oh don’t be so down, at least she will be able to reunite with that traitorous Lena before succumbing to the shadows.”

“I see.” Scrooge said. He sent his nephews a sympathetic look, then glared harshly at Magica. “If ye think ye will get this from me now. Than ye be daft you hag.”

“Oh well, I tried to ask nicely.” Magica smirked, summing up the last of the power she had gotten from the shadow stone and blasted it at Scrooge.

“Look out!” Dewey called, reaching out to Scrooge.

Scrooge tried to dodge in time but the shadow magic moved as if honing in on him and blasted him against the wall. The glowing from the stone, keeping his body from being consumed with shadow magic.

The gem clattered to the ground and instantly Magica dove for it. Dewey and Beakley noticed this as well and both jumped for it at the same time.

Seeing this, Magica smirked and grasped it in her hands before dodging both and watching with glee as they collided and hit the ground.

Seeing one of his boys hurt, Donald let out a yell and ran after the witch. But she too blasted Donald with a shadow blast, sending him flying and colliding into a wall next to his uncle.

Huey and Louie were the only ones left standing but they both blocked the door and got into defensive stances.

Magica chuckled. “You? You think you two can stop me? Hilarious.”

Louie looked like he was shaking, but he was holding his ground. “You are not leaving!”

Magica raised an eyebrow. “I’m not? Who is going to stop me?” she walked right up to the boys. “You?” She held the Shadow Stone up to them. “You have some guts to say you can stop me.”

“Statistically with all of us here we have a 32 percent chance…”Huey’s voice was trying desperately not to tremble.

“And whose to say I can’t stop you! You don’t know me. You don’t know what weird magic I have!” Louie bluffed.

Ever the gullible villain, Magica paused. “Wait what? You have magic?” She looked skeptical. “Prove it.”

“Sure, just let me grab my magic wand.” Louie looked a little panicked.

But thankfully that was all the time they needed. Grabbing a hold of his senses, Scrooge got to his feet and smirked. Stabbing his cane at a symbol in the nearby wall, the diamond piece slid easily into the wall.

Suddenly all the doors in the room slammed shut. Even the window had a slab of stone that slid mostly closed save a sliver of light.

Using his phone for light, Louie pulled out a large lantern which cast a warm hue against the group.

“Wha, what did you do Scrooge?!” Magica hissed, turning as her rival appeared from the shadows.

Donald, Beakley and Dewey appeared as well.

“What do you think? Now like us ye are trapped in here. Only I know the key to unlocking this trap. Now, release ye hold on that babble and return Webbigail to us. Otherwise ye will be trapped here forever.” The old trillionaire threatened, pointing his cane at her.

Hissing, Magica pointed the stone at him. “You wouldn’t! You would trap your family in here with you?!”

Wandering over to said family, he stood before them, facing Magica and crossing his arms. “I believe me family understands quite well why I’m doing this. And they are on board one hundred percent.”

At this the triplets each gave Magica a hard stare. Donald clenched his fists and nodded. Beakley gave Magica a murderous look. Even Launchpad looked determined.

Magica faltered but then smirked. “Oh Scroogie, you forget one thing"

She glanced up and over to the window, which drew the others eyes up as well.

"All I have to do is wait until the sun sets..."

The last sliver of light was rapidly vanishing.

Dewey and Huey looked at each other with panicked expressions. In a desperate attempt to stop Magica, Dewey threw himself at her. “Give me back my friend!” he growled and slammed into her side. Letting out a gasp she fell to the ground still grasping tightly onto the stone.

Kicking her arm, Beakley grinned as she released the stone and it clattered once more towards Scrooge. But as he realized the portal was closing, he looked down at it then back to Magica who was tossing the others off her with a burst of magic. He glanced from the portal to the stone to his family who was now all being held off the ground by shadow magic.

“Scrooge, final warning! Give me the stone!” Magica hissed.

Clutching the stone he did the only thing he could do.

“Go catch it yourself!” he threw the stone hard into the portal. Everyone gasped.

Beakley looked ready to jump into the portal after her granddaughter.

The portal suddenly became unstable. The light vanished from outside and as the portal started to completely fragment and vanish from their sight, Magica let out a wail and without the magic everyone was released from her grasp.

“NO!” Dewey ran as well as the others to where the portal once was.

They were too late.

“WEBBY!”

* * *

 

Webby struggled to awaken, slowly opening her eyes she could feel her head feel fuzzy. Groaning, she began to pull herself up when she fell back down.

“Webby!” a voice yelled nearby and slowly she found herself slowly smiling.

“Lena?”

“Webby we have to get you out of here!” Lena grasped ahold of her friend. Pulling Webby to her feet. “Run!”

“Run, why?” Webby could feel the fuzziness fading but even then she took in the world around her.

Her heart nearly stopped. Everything was in different shades of black. But it looked like a mirror copy of the world she just left. The only differences were lack of colors and depth. But Lena, Lena looked almost similar to how Webby last saw her.

Her image appeared like a negative but she still held the same shape as the Lena she knew in the real world. Still the black eyes with white dots for her pupils were a little unnerving. 

Lena pointed behind them both and as Webby glanced back she noticed a group of shadows nearby, their glowing red eyes leering at them ominously.

“Hurry!” Taking her friends hand, Webby and Lena ran away. Dodging through shadow trees, jumping over obstacles that were in their path, they ended up at a fairly familiar looking cave. It was strange, the sky was a light gray as well as the inside of the cave. Yet everything else that had mass was a deep black. As they slowed to a stop, Lena breathing a bit hard, Webby reached out to touch the wall of the cave but Lena grasped her.

“Webby don’t.” Slowly Webby turned to Lena and reached out.

“Is this real?” Her hand brushed against Lena’s face and it felt solid, but also felt like she was holding jello.

“This is real.” Lena affirmed, giving her friend a smile but then looking down and away. “But you can’t stay here. We have to find a way to get you out.”

Hugging her from behind, Webby let a few tears slide down. “Not without you! I won’t leave without you!”

Lena was surprised and slightly unsure how to act. She hadn’t seen Webby act like this before, but then again there was a lot she didn’t know. Gently rubbing the top of her friends head she sighed.

“Well worry about that when we find a way out. Don’t worry Webs, I won’t let those shadows get you.” Lena glanced around, pondering something in her mind.

“Who were those shadows anyways?” Webby asked curiously. Lena paused.

“Mm well…..I want to say it was….your family.” She glanced back at Webby with hesitation.

“What? Those were…”

“Their shadows.”

“But, they are my family they wouldn’t- “ she paused.

“Yeah… I’m sure you’ve heard what shadows are made of.”

“Repressed and negative emotions.” Webby brought out the book. “It was in this book.”

Lena frowned. “Webby, when I gave you this book. I didn’t mean for you to come in and find me.”

Webby held her determined look. “Of course I would come and find you, you loveable fool!” She tackle-hugged Lena again. “I was so scared after the Shadow War. I thought for sure you…” her voice caught and she looked away.

Lena nodded. “Me too. But before I knew it I was here and also attached to your shadow, kind of.”

Webby tilted her head a bit, “Kind of?”

Lena sighed. “You’ll see.”

“Ah ha, there they are.” A voice lacking much emotion commented.

Lena grit her teeth and pushed Webby behind her. “Stay behind me.”

A lone shadow entered the room, she was pure black and had deep red eyes. She looked just like…

“Me?” Webby gasped a bit.

Shadow Webby simply stared.

“Oh my gosh this is so weird! Sort of meeting like a double of yourself, or a you from another dimension!” Webby of course was ecstatic and tried to get around Lena to talk to her shadow but Lena remained firmly planted before her.

“Webby….don’t! She’s not what she seems!” Lena tried to warn her.

Shadow Webby raised her arm. “Why do I have to do all the dirty work?” she muttered before her arm seemed to morph into a knife.

Both Lena and Webby paused and took this new development in with slight surprise.

“What’s she doing?” Webby asked, looking a little worried.

Lena cursed and grasped Webby around the waist and shoved her to the ground as Shadow Webby launched herself at them.

Hitting the ground hard, tumbling around with Lena on top of her, Webby felt her heart beating rapidly.

Once they stopped, Lena shot a glare to Shadow Webby and growled. “Hey! Knock it off! Do you want to kill her?! She’s a part of you!”

Shadow Webby tilted her head slightly. “But she’s not a shadow, and all non shadows must be purged.”

Webby’s eyes widened at this.

Clenching her fists, Lena held her ground. Swiping her arm out in front of her she grit her beak. “There is no way I’m letting you hurt my best friend. I don’t know what your deal is. But you can just back off now. I thought we had an agreement!”

The shadows apathy for the situation and Webby herself seemed to unnerve her. Shadow Webby shrugged and once more held up the knife. Pointing it at Lena and Webby she took a small step towards them.

“She does not belong here. If we don’t get her out soon…” Shadow Webby commented.

“I know!” Lena interrupted and pushed the Shadow Webby away. “I promise I will get her out. Just give me time!”

Shadow Webby paused and her red eyes glared deeply within Lena’s black ones.

“So be it. But if she is not gone soon.” With that, Shadow Webby left.

Collapsing on the spot, Lena let out a sigh and turned back to an obviously shocked Webby.

“Lena…” Webby looked unsure. “What’s going on?”

Lena let out a sigh and brushed a hand through her hair. “Take a seat pink, there’s a lot to say.”

Plopping down next to her friend, Webby gave her a questioning, but open look.

Lena gave her a small smile. “Webby, we have to get you out of here as soon as we can. You can’t stay here for long. You…your body won’t be able to handle it. The longer those from the other world stay here….the energy of the shadow realm will consume you.”

Shocked at this, Webby grasped Lena’s hands. “Are you okay!? It won’t consume you too will it?”

“What? No…Webby. I’m a shadow.” Lena looked into her friends eyes. “I was never meant to exist.”

“But you do! You do exist! Look I can touch you!” Webby reached over and touched Lena on her upper arm.

“That’s differ-hey wait.” Lena looked confused. “How are…” Searching Webby’s eyes, Lena’s brain worked on overdrive. “You, shouldn’t be able to hold me…”  Studying Webby’s body, she noticed something and grabbed the arm that held the glowing friendship bracelet. “Of course..” She could feel it below Webby’s skin. The pulsing power of shadow energy. Her own anxiety began to rise.

“No this isn’t good! At most you have 20…no 30 minutes! Hurry! We have to find a portal out of here!” Grabbing Webby’s arm, she dragged her around trying to find portals in a frenzy.

“Wait what about the portal that dropped me in here?!” Webby commented, trying to keep up with her.

Lena stopped and glanced back at her. “By the time I found you, it was gone.”

“Gone?” Webby frowned. Did Magica really trap her inside here?

Lena painfully nodded and sat down on the spot, putting her head in between her knees and wrapping her arms around herself.

“Oh what have I done?”

“Lena?” Webby sat next to her and draped an arm across the teen shadows shoulders. “It’s okay, we will find a way out together!”

Clenching her fists, Lena looked up at Webby. “No! If we don’t find a portal to get you out you will die! Why did you come here?! I didn’t want you coming in here to find me! That’s not why I gave you the book!”

Webby’s face looked shocked and a little hurt, lower beak trembling, she grasped her upper arm with her opposite hand. “Then why did you give me that book!? Don’t you want to be saved?!”

“How can you want to save me after all I’ve done?!” Lena yelled back. “I betrayed everyone you loved! I brought Magica back into the world! I hurt you so much!”  

“Yeah you did those things! But you tried to save me and Dewey from Magica! You let yourself be vaporized to protect us!” she grasped her friends arms. “And everyone misses you! They want you back! I want you back! Your my best friend you adorable stupid loveable idiot!” Wrapping her arms once more around Lena, she held tight and didn’t let go. “It’s not your fault Magica made you do those things.”

Lena sighed and grasped Webby’s arms. “At first it was my choice. But as I got to know you and your family…I felt like I couldn’t hurt you. Webs you have such an infectious personality you know that?” She grinned. “I was so happy when you called me your friend.” She paused, glancing around the darkening world. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” Lena added. “The guys are here with Scrooge and the others. I’m sure they will figure out a way to open up the portal.”

Webby looked unconvinced. “Yeah, maybe.” While she was putting on a brave face. She didn’t want to tell Lena what she really thought inside. That maybe they wouldn’t find a way to open a new portal. Maybe they wouldn’t want to. Her Granny would, maybe Dewey and the other two. But as for Scrooge…

Those negative thoughts began to invade her mind. Slowly an ooze of dark matter wrapped itself around her feet as she thought this. But it was so subtle the two didn’t realize it.

“Anyways, Lena you were talking about the other shadows? Why do they want to hurt me?” Webby continued, looking at her friend.

Lena sighed. “Normally they aren’t this bad. Me and shadow Webby even had an agreement. But they don’t really have a will of their own. And they consider you the enemy, that you don’t belong here. Its mostly the reason why if someone gets into this world. They don’t come back.”

“They kill them?” Webby looked worried.

“In a sense, yes. Because that way at least they would survive. See if you are consumed by the Shadow World…your shadow will be consumed as well.” Lena stated.

“That’s why…” Webby looked down and noticed the goo attaching itself to her feet. Letting out a yelp, she tried to jump and stumble back. But her feet were caught and she found she couldn’t move. “L-lena!”

“Webby!” Lena grasped onto Webby’s arms and tried to pull her from the shadow goo, but it was if she was cemented down to the ground. “No…nonono!” Lena was full on in panic mode. Glancing around she had to find a way to tell the others in the real world that they were almost out of time. “Huey! Dewey! Louie!” she yelled.  Feeling helpless, she hugged Webby as she began to shake a little. “Don’t worry Webs, I’ll get you out if it’s the last thing I do.” Lena looked at her comfortingly.

“But...."Webby’s breathing was starting to increase, the fear was starting and it finally hit her how much danger she was in. None of her training would work here. For once in her life she was relying on others to rescue her and it felt…wrong. She hated this…She wished and hoped the others would find her and Lena soon. She was so stupid thinking she could handle this by herself.

Why didn’t she tell them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp! Here's another chapter! Hope the wait was worth it for those of you still reading with me! I appreciate any comments I can get and hope you all have a wonderful day. I feel bad for poor Webby being put through all of this and it's only going to get worse I'm afraid.


	7. Make a Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this final chapter, the group outside tries to "persuade" Magica to open another portal. Meanwhile, Webby's life is in danger as the shadows begin to consume her. Lena desperately tries to keep her best friend safe and Webby at her lowest reveals why she came alone. Will the group open a portal? Will they save her? Will Lena reveal her own secret she has been keeping? Looks like our plot has finally hit its climax and conclusion!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks again for liking this small little fanfic of mine. This is the first installment of a couple of stories within this arc of sorts. This is where probably it will divert from canon and the following fanfics will be my own ideas of where the story could go. (Bows) I hope to see you all in the next fanfic and hope you enjoy the story! I'd love to hear your thoughts about the story. I'm also going to leave you with a song that helped me write this last chapter.   
> (Btw yes I did ugly cry as I wrote the scene with Webby and Lena near the end....) 
> 
> Anyways heres the song: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nSVJjOp1zA
> 
> and yes it is from KH...the music from there heavily influenced me in this fanfic. In the next one too. 
> 
> Anyways, till next time everyone. 
> 
> Lore out!

“DeSpell…” Scrooge paced in front of her. They had managed to corner the witch and tie her up. But she refused to help them at every turn. “I know ye know how to create a new portal to the other world.”

“There is no other way Scroogie.” She spat in his face. The venom in her voice increasing by the minute. “ We need the Shadow Stone for it and sadly you threw it into the portal!”

Scrooge smirked and slammed his cane down an inch from her beak.  

“Do ye think I be stupid? There is more than one way into the Shadow Realm. Ye are not terribly freaking out which means there is another way for ye to get the babble.” Grasping her by the collar he brought her up to eye level. “I won’t…ask again. How do we get to the Shadow Realm?”

The ice coldness of his eyes made Magica gulp a little. But her eyes regarded him with severe hatred. “Oh? And what are you going to do if I say nothing Scroogie? Kill me?” She snorted. “Nice try.”

Letting her fall to the ground, Scrooge smirked. “I never thought ye would ask. Beakley.” He glanced at her as she walked up next to him. Cracking her knuckles she looked down upon Magica with dead eyes.

“W-what are you doing?” Magica growled. “Killing me will do nothing!”

“Don’t be daft. We don’t plan on killing ye.” Scrooge waved away her words.

“We don’t?” Was Louie’s quip.

“Nay. I have something much more interesting planned.” Scrooge chuckled. “Beakley. Take her to the goat room.”

“The what now?” Was Magica’s panicked comment as she was picked up and carried like a sack of potatoes to the goat room with Scrooge and Donald.

 

* * *

 

Dewey was sitting where Webby had vanished, head in his hands and trying not to freak out.

Huey was studying the carvings on the walls. Hoping to find some clue to create another portal.

Louie stared at his brothers then kicked a rock, getting pissed off. It bounced off the wall and beamed him in the head.

“OW! Stupid rock! Stupid wall! Stupid Shadow Realm!” Louie continued is frustrated yelling.

Huey turned to Dewey who seemed to be just sitting there, rocking back and forth a bit.

“What are you doing?” The oldest asked.

“Wishing I could just vanish in a hole somewhere..” Dewey grumbled.

Huey rolled his eyes. “Look, sitting and moping isn’t going to help get her back.”

Dewey pouted. “I know…” tracing symbols into the floor he sighed. “But I’m not good at nerd stuff or anything. What else can I do?”

Huey sighed, flipped a few pages from his book and read a few lines on the wall before him. His book slipped from his fingers and hit the ground near Dewey with a thud, causing the other to jump. Huey pulled away from the wall as if it had burned him.

“I figured it out.”

“What?” Dewey’s eyes brightened a bit, but seemed to dim at the somber look Huey gave him.

Louie cocked his head slightly, turning it to his brother.

“The only way to bring Webby back is to force open the door. From both sides.” Huey sighed.

“So, how do we do that?” Louie asked, sauntering over.

“We need blood.”

Louie paused.

“From both sides.” Huey glanced up at the stone column the Shadow Stone had been lying on. Standing up, Huey reached over to the top of the column, finding the inside smooth and dipping downward, as if it was a bowl.  

“Don’t tell me they…killed here.” Dewey commented.

“Call Uncle Scrooge.” Huey told Dewey. “Tell him I have an idea.”

Dewey nodded and ran off to tell Scrooge while Huey looked at the column thoughtfully.

Louie looked at his brothers back, a slight frown on his face. Huey rarely looked like this. He was hiding something.

“Okay, what’s the deal nerd?” Louie commented, walking up next to his brother. “And don’t say nothing, I know for a fact that something is going on you aren’t telling me.”

Huey sighed. “We don’t have time for this..”

Louie glanced at him. “Huey I’m just-“

“No Louie, I mean we don’t have time.” He turned to Louie, his eyes looked worried and close to tears. “Webby is going to die unless we bring her back now!”

Shocked, Louie took a step back. “What-“

“I read what it said on those walls.” Huey clenched his fists. “If we don’t rescue her now….the Shadow Realm will consume her. There will be nothing left. Not even her Shadow. The more Shadow energy you are around, the less time you have. Her body will be infected with large amounts of shadow energy every second she is there. At most I’m estimating she has 30 minutes before she is consumed completely.”

Louie felt his heart skip a beat. “So what do we do?!”

On cue, Scrooge, Donald, Beakley, Magica and Dewey emerged.

Huey’s eyes turned cool. “Follow my lead.” He smirked at his brother.

Louie felt a slightly sinister smirk form. “Aye Aye.”

Huey approached them. “I have an idea on how to force open the door to the Shadow Realm.”

“How?” Donald asked.

Huey sighed and pointed behind him. “On that wall those carvings stated of a way to force the door open in extreme circumstances. We need to blend blood from both this world and the other world. In other words…our blood and.” He glared at Magica. “Her blood.”

Scrooge looked startled. “Will that work?”

Huey nodded.

“Hold up!” Magica looked weak after her battle with the goats. “I will never consent to this!”

Huey turned to Scrooge. “We are out of time Uncle Scrooge. If Webby stays there for much longer she will be consumed by the Shadow Realm. We don’t have time!”

“Aye…” Scrooge turned to Magica. “Ye be right Lad.”

“Unless Magica has any other way to open the door.” Louie commented with a shrug. He was glancing at his hand and happened to slide his eyes to the sorcerer.

Suddenly Magica could feel piercing eyes on her from all sides.

“No.” She said through gritted teeth. Louie closed his eyes and Huey suddenly narrowed his own.

“I guess then we have no choice.” Huey pulled out a pocket knife and showed it to Scrooge.

“Where the duck did you get that?!” Dewey looked shocked his brother was packing a weapon.

“Junior Woodchuck rule number 59….always have a knife on hand in case if its needed.”

“What kind of rule is that?” Louie wondered.

Huey glanced at Magica, who now looked worried at the group around her. “Beakley, hold her down.” Scrooge approached with the knife.

“With pleasure.” She pinned Magica down, who was squirming and trying to escape.

“Don’t touch me you stupid-“ She spat, trying to get away from Beakley’s grasp.

“Last chance Magica..” Scrooge appeared by her side, leaning down to press the knife at her arm.

The witch growled and glared at them all hatefully. But she saw that each person had a blank look in their eyes.

That caused a spark of fear to spread through her body rapidly.

“How much blood do we need?” Scrooge asked.

Huey closed the book. “All of it would be advisable.”

“What?!” Dewey squawked. Donald put a hand on the middle child’s shoulder.

“Scrooge? Do we really want to do this?”

Scrooge frowned, glancing at everyones faces, then to Magica and closed his eyes.

Louie had his arms crossed and smirked. “Guys we don’t have time to worry about our conscience.. Webby needs us. If we don’t do this now she will be gone forever. That’s more important. Besides, no one would miss her anyways.” Giving her a evil glance, Louie kept up his smirk. Huey nodded, agreeing.

Dewey seemed shell shocked by everyones attitude. Launchpad just looked confused.

Magica felt her heart start to beat rapidly as Scrooge nodded firmly and lowered the knife. He had the decency to look rather conflicted but he continued.

It was when she felt the metal on her skin that she finally cracked.  

“FINE FINE! I’ll open a stupid portal!” She growled and hissed. Clearly enraged that she had been beaten once more by this group.

“Great, what do we do?” Dewey asked, feeling a weight lifting off his chest.

Louie sagged a bit, his face returning to neutral and giving Huey a high five. Looks like their acting really worked. Scrooge eyed the duo with slight respect. He had figured out their ruse halfway through.  

Magica sighed. “We need to draw a spell circle.” She explained in detail what to do. Huey marked down the spell circle within the stone floor. Whispering an incantation, she placed a tied up hand on the circle and it began to glow.

Suddenly a portal popped into existence next to them all. It fizzled a bit, as if it was unstable. It glitched on and off then a loud pop could be heard from the other side.

“What was that?” Scrooge asked cautiously, glaring at Magica.

Magica simply shrugged, a confused look on her own face.

That was until air began to be sucked out of the room into the portal. It was as if a switch had flipped and the portal was sucking everything out of the room.

Everyone let out a yelp and Magica let out a laugh as she was sucked into the portal.

“NO!” Dewey growled and desperately tried to grab onto something before they were all sucked inside.

Grabbing his top hat and hooking his cane on a Vistray vine, Scrooge grabbed a hold of Louie and Huey before they were sucked inside. Beakley was grasping onto the column while Donald was trying frantically to find anything of help for them.

He found something lying in the corner of the room. Something that no one had seen Webby drop.

Her grappling hook.

Gritting his teeth, Donald let out a roar and ran against the pull of the portal to grab the gadget.

Meanwhile, everyone was slowly losing their grasp as the pull was getting stronger. It was getting close to hurricane type winds. Dewey let out a cry as his fingers slipped from the rock and frantically Scrooge with Louie and Huey reached to grab Dewey.

And then the vine holding his cane broke.

Gritting his teeth he grabbed a hold of the three, praying that something would save them.

Suddenly Donald was there, one hand grasping the pronged end of the grappling hook.

The other end of the rope was wrapped tightly around the column. He grabbed Scrooges’ arm before the four could be pulled inside the portal.

Realizing that they were safe, Dewey opened his eyes and smiled to everyone. Then his gaze drifted to the portal right behind him.

As Scrooge pulled the group to the floating rope, he tied part of it around his waist and released his hold onto Donald. Donald himself backtracked, giving the group some room while still holding onto the rope himself. 

“We gotta go inside!” Dewey met his brothers eyes, who both nodded.

Looking back up to Scrooge, he saw the boys eyes weren’t taking no for an answer. Sighing, Scrooge slowly shook his head and then grinned.

“Alright lads! Tie a piece of the rope around yourselves. Just in case you slip up!” Scrooge set his webbed foot onto the pronged end of the grappling hook and glanced up at Donald. “Release more of the rope!”

Donald nodded and saluted, going back up and untying the main part wrapped around the column. He let loose as much as he could.

“Mr McDuck!” Beakley called. For a second their eyes met, despite the intense wind muffling some words.

Scrooge nodded. “Don’t worry Bentina! I will save Webby. I swear it.”

Beakley smiled, then helped Donald, along with Launchpad to give them more rope.

The group of four suddenly were sucked into the portal.

The triplets looked at each other with one thought on their mind.

They hoped they weren’t too late.

 

* * *

  

Lena was trying desperately to keep Webby from freaking out. Although it seemed as if Webby herself was repressing her own urge to panic even as the darkness crept up her body slowly. Another thing that worried her was the Shadow energy she sensed from the other before seemed to be growing under Webby’s skin. Both her wrists had black veins visible, and Lena had no idea what those were. But whatever was happening to Webby was happening rapidly. It wasn’t good.

“Where is your stupid family?” Lena grumbled, feeling her patience wearing thin.

“Lena its okay,” Webby gave the other a small tired smile. “They will come, I trust….well most of them.” Painfully she looked down remembering some things Scrooge said.

Lena glanced sideways towards her, sitting down next to her friend and pressing her arm against her friends.

“Is that why you didn’t bring anyone with you?” She suddenly asked, Webby’s eyes widened a bit and then she looked away. “Webs, what happened?”

Clenching and unclenching her fists, Webby was trying to find the right words. “I just, don’t think I belong with them anymore.” She whispered softly.

Lena raised an eyebrow. “Webby? Seriously? My family was so worse off. You belong with them like a fish to water. Do you know how many times you’ve saved their butts?” Giving a cocky smirk, she brushed the younger girls hair and smiled at hearing her friend chuckle.

The chuckle faded a bit though. “Its just, I heard them say some things, especially Scrooge..”

“Really? Do I have to go beat them up for you?” Lena commented, already rolling up her sleeves. “Cause no one bullies you but me.”

Smiling weakly, Webby turned back. “It’s just that…I have never been a part of a true family. I mean I had Granny. But I never knew anything else. I don’t have siblings, or a kind Uncle like Donald, or even someone like Scrooge.”

“Personally I think Crumpets is rather amazing. Just don’t tell her I said that.” Lena commented. “Especially raising a great granddaughter like you. Webby, I don’t think you realize how amazing you are. You have, some kind of weird magnetic attraction that draws people to you.” Lena looked into her eyes. “You see the good in everyone. That’s not something everyone has. You saw the good in me. You wanted to be friends with a Shadow. A rebellious one at that.” She sighed. “I know you think you don’t belong with them. But you do. I know Bluey and his brothers will at least miss you.”

Webby thought about it for a moment. She knew that talking to Lena would help her feel better.

“I guess…you are right.”

Lena smirked. “Heck yeah I’m right. Don’t you know me at all pink?”

Webby smiled a bit. She still felt conflicted but it felt good to get everything out. “Thanks so much Lena. I knew talking with you would help me feel better.” She hugged Lena. “I want you to know that they can be your family too.”

Lena blinked, remembering Scrooges comment from before. “I…I know.” Still a pain lingered within her chest.

“Lena..” grasping her friends face in her hands, Webby touched their foreheads together. “I want you to know something. I know Magica said some horrible things during the Shadow War. But no one blames you for what Magica did. I hope one day you can tell me what happened. You are good.”

If Lena could cry she would. But as it was, all she could do was close her eyes, hug Webby tightly and thank her.

Suddenly they heard a pop from somewhere and Lena’s eyes snapped opened.

“What was that?”

The whole world seemed to shudder and a weird noise appeared from somewhere a little far off. Both girls got to their feet but Webby was still stuck in the goop that was now covering her arms and rising up her stomach. It felt like hot tar searing its way up her body. Lena noticed the progression and felt unease well up within her. She glanced back up where the noise came from, then back to her friend who was in dire stress.

“This isn’t good.” Lena sighed and frowned. “Looks like I have no more choices left.” From behind her back she pulled the Shadow Stone.

Webby gasped. “Lena where did you get that?!”

“It flew through the portal before it vanished. I’m assuming it’s the Shadow Stone.” Grasping it in her hands she felt the familiar glow of the shadow energy. “I really don’t want to do this.” Clutching both of Webby’s hands with her own she slammed her eyes shut and let out a yell. The shadow energy erupted from the stone in her right hand which held onto Webby’s.

The energy shot through Webby’s body, causing her to gasp as the energy reached her feet. The goop around her reacted, instantly blazing away in a blue flame.

Her friendship bracelet glowed with energy as well.

Once the energy faded, Webby felt unsteady on her feet and had to sit down. The goop had temporarily vanished, but her body was still gray, as if it had already done damage.  

Lena also gave a gasp and hit her knees, struggling to keep her form constant. She flickered like a TV screen for a few seconds and eemed to realize that the stone was no longer in her hands but on the ground.

Suddenly an arm reached between them and grasped the Shadow Stone. “I’ll take that.” Magica’s voice cackled and both girls looked up.

Smiling wickedly, she looked down at the two exhausted ducks with malicious intent. “Well now. What do we have here?”

Lena stumbled a bit, but held out her arm in front of Webby. Feeling tears in her eyes, Webby struggled to stand as well but her body felt so heavy. Looking down at her hands, she realized the darkness was eating away at her. Her form was already becoming see through and unstable. At most, Webby only a few minutes left. The gray was rapidly turning black and it was like a thick film enveloping her. Even though the tar like substance was gone, her body was still growing a deep gray, the parts that had been gray before were now close to being pure black. It crept up her body slowly, but she couldn’t let that stop her. They had to defeat Magica!

“Lena, you know better than to try to stop me. Stupid Stupid shadow minion. Doesn’t know her true place. To be honest, I’m rather surprised you still have so much spirit.” Laughing humorlessly, she held out the stone as she began to consume the shadow energy once more. Her feathers were once again slowly turning green and her body seemed to glow with a purple light.

 “Now then. I think its time for you all to say goodbye.” Magica’s eyes blazed red as the Shadows around them seemed to appear one after another. Webby’s shadow as well as the others of her family began to move towards them with angry expressions.

Webby struggled to stand as Lena looked around. They were surrounded by the shadows that Magica was once again controlling. Lena was still in a protective stance before Webby. But even her eyes showed a helpless expression. Webby’s breathing was increasing, finding herself seriously starting to panic. Glancing down, she noticed the black film was now taking place of the goop, it was inching closer and closer to her head. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. It was all she could do to grasp onto Lena like a lifeline.

“Oh, looks like pinky there doesn’t have long at all.” Cackling, Magica waved the stone. Feeling intense frustration, Lena let out a yell that seemed to shake the Shadow Realm and launched herself at Magica.

Throwing a punch and kick and letting out all the built up frustration she had for her would be Aunt.

“I hate you so much!” Punch. “You took everything from me!” Kick.

“My body!”

“My home!”

“My would be family!”

“Your family?” Magica looked at the Shadow distastefully. “You never had one because you were never real you idiotic abomination!”

A cane launched out from nowhere and slammed into Magica’s hand. The stone within her grasp slipped and fell to the ground.

Only this time it cracked.

“Seems too me the only Idiotic Abomination is ye, Despell.” A Scottish voice commented.

“NO!” Magica frantically tried to grasp at the stone as the crack quickly spread and the gem burst into pieces as she grabbed it.

Lena glanced up, feeling relief coursing through her.

There, above them all was Scrooge, Huey, Dewey and Louie attached to some kind of rope. They were only a foot of so above their heads, floating.

“Lass.” Scrooge smirked and tipped his top hat to Lena and Webby.

“It’s about time!” Lena said, half frustrated and half happy. It was then she noticed the jewelry that was blazing around their necks. “Nice bling by the way.”

“Eh Shadow Energy dispelling crystals. Don’t leave home without them.” Scrooge commented back. 

“Webby!” Dewey yelled, his eyes alarmed at her current state.

 She smiled weakly up at the boys and gave a wave.

Scrooge looked firm. “Lena! Bring her over!”

Lena did just that, she picked up Webby and ran back over to them, holding her up towards them.

But even as Scrooge went to grasp her, Webby frantically grasped at Lena’s arm.

“No, wait…Lena you have to come too.” Webby frantically said.

Lena at first was shocked, then smiled sadly at her best friend. “I’m..sorry..”

An enraged Magica slammed into Lena and knocked her to the ground. Webby’s half closed eyes snapped open. “Lena!” Scrooge struggled to keep a hold of Webby, bringing her closer to his chest as he glared at Magica.

Struggling with Magica, the pink haired teen grasped onto one shard of the stone and sliced Magica’s cheek, drawing blood. She threw it Webby’s way who caught it in midair.

“Use that to close the portal! It’s going to go crazy unless you close it for good! I’ll keep my Aunt busy.” Kicking her in the stomach, she grinned as she watched Magica fly into a wall.

“No!” Webby reached out ignoring the darkness that was now covering her mouth.

“Lena come with us!” Dewey held out his arm.

“Come on! We need your sarcastic wit!” Louie also held out his arm.

“And your ability to get out of tough situations with a question and teach us about the magic of friendship or something!” Huey added with his own arm out. His brothers looked at him and he frowned. “I hate going last.” He mumbled.

“Lass, we won’t leave without ye.” Scrooge shifted Webby into his other arm and held out one of his own.

Lena stopped and looked at each of their eyes. She felt so much emotion, happiness spread through her astral being. Tears seemed to form in her eyes. But that happiness soon was overwhelmed by despair. She smiled painfully. “You don’t know how much I want to.”

As she reached out, her hand passed through all four of their hands; it was like grasping for smoke. As if she truly was a ghost. Her hand brushed into Webby’s grasping onto it tightly as it became solid.

“But I can’t.”

Horror filled all their eyes at this revelation. “I have no body to go back to.” Chocking back a sob, Lena swallowed a lump in her throat.

“Lena…” Webby was crying now, tears flowing freely and grasping onto her hand for dear life. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Lena shook her head. “I didn’t want to hurt you again Webby. But it seems all I am really good at lately.” She gave a sobbing laugh. “I’m sorry….but the only reason you can hold me is because how much Shadow energy has infected your body. You have to let me go.”

“No….No I can’t….” Webby was hysterical. Scrooge was in tears too, holding onto Webby tightly and trying to comfort her. He leveled his gaze at Lena who was smiling weakly. Even he could see how unstable her form was though. She couldn’t hold out much longer. This was tearing them all up inside.

“Lass…we will not rest until we get ye out of here. I swear it.” His tone was firm. “We will save ye and ye will come home.”

Lena seemed to relax a bit, she let out some tension and air she had been holding all this time. “I know you will.” Her gaze drifted towards the triplets. “You three take care of Webby while I’m gone kay? She really needs you all to be there for her. Don’t let her go wander off alone again.”

Louie was crying, but nodded.

Huey looked lost and depressed, his own eyes held unshed tears. Eyes darting from one side to the other as if trying to find the answers. Trying to find a way to bring Lena back.

But it was Dewey who answered for all three of them with a determined face.

“We will.” But even Dewey looked like he was struggling not to cry. He reached over and set a hand on Webby’s head as she was starting to pass out.

“No….Lena..” the young Duckling’s voice echoed, as the film was starting to consume her lower half.  

“Webs, you gotta go.” Smiling, she slipped her hand from Webby’s grasp.

“I will save you!” Webby yelled, determined.

Scrooge tugged on the rope, signaling the others to pull them out. Huey had a hand on Webby’s arm, Louie had his own on the other and Dewey’s hand remained on her head. All three triplets watched Lena as they were being pulled out of the Shadow Realm. They had gotten Webby back, but it still felt like they had lost this fight. They couldn’t believe they were leaving someone behind.

Even as Magica got up and attacked Lena from behind, Lena rolled them over and had her Aunt in a headlock. She looked up at her friend as the group was being pulled out of the Shadow Realm.

Her last words echoed within Webby’s mind.

“I know you will Webs, You’re my best friend after all.”

 

* * *

 

Launchpad, Donald and Mrs Beakley all pulled with everything they had. The vacuum had lessened to where they were able to get their footing. But the effort to pull them all out was insanely tough. All of them were straining so bad Beakley was convinced her back was going to give out.

With a pop, the group was pulled out of the portal and they tumbled to the floor, Scrooge still holding onto Webby for dear life and shielding her from a majority of the fall.

The instant her body was out from the Shadow Realm, the darkness that had been consuming her seemed to deteriorate before their eyes. Turning almost into ash which flittered from her body.

She had been unconscious but she slowly awoke with a slight groan. Rubbing her eyes she glanced at who was holding her.

“Oh Lass, I’m so glad we got ye in time.” He warmly hugged her with tears falling from his eyes.

Her lower beak trembled. She let out a cry and held onto him. “I was so scared!” She felt like she was five again, body shuddering and crying like a child.

Dewey smiled slightly watching the scene and ran over to hug Webby too. “Webs I’m so glad you’re okay!!” he laughed and Scrooge let Dewey lift her from his arms and spin her around before setting her on her feet. Her tears turning a laugh, she hugged Dewey back and suddenly was bombarded with two other excited ducks. Louie was crying and mumbling something about Webby going to receive all his money when he dies. Huey was checking her over and making sure she wasn’t injured while pulling out the Junior Woodchuck guide book and advising her how to recover after being in the Shadow Realm for so long.

The others of course came to hug her as well and for once it felt like Webby was at peace. But then she noticed the portal was starting to become unstable again. Her smile faded and she opened her hand which held that fragment of the Shadow Stone.

Scrooge noticed it too and grasped Webby’s hand that held the stone. “Blast it all. That damn portal is messing with our family time. Eh Webby?”

Webby looked at the Portal, then Scrooge and the others. “Yeah, yeah it is.”

Together they used the shadow shard to close the portal for good.

 

* * *

 

After that, Life felt like it was going on around her in hyper speed. Before she could process what had happened they managed to get to the plane and fly back to Duckburg. Everyone insisted she sleep, but it was hard for her to even close her eyes without the terror of nearly being consumed invading her dreams. Lena’s voice kept haunting her as well, how could she leave her best friend behind like that?

It was after that nightmare that her grandmother pulled her aside and began to ask her questions. She answered them with as much detail as she could. But she felt distant almost. When she mentioned this, her grandmother said it was probably the shock of losing Lena a second time. But inside she felt like her emotions were churning. She was happy to be back with everyone. She was happy Lena was still alive in a sense and she was determined to find her. But also there was a darkness she couldn’t identify. A new emotion that had sprung from this adventure that she wasn’t sure belonged there.

After a while she did manage to fall asleep.

She had received so much love from everyone since she got back. Most of her doubts and fears had vanished when Scrooge held and protected her. Seeing how worried Dewey, Louie and Huey looked. Her grandmothers exhausted face once they were pulled from the portal. Everyone had done so much for her after she had run away.

She felt so stupid going in alone now. Letting fragments of words hurt her that much. Letting everyone get in danger because she thought she could save Lena. She felt even worse once Scrooge called her into his office the next day.

She felt an uneasiness engulf her.

Wandering inside the room, she glanced at the man who was sitting, stoic in his chair.

“Lass, thank you for coming. Please take a seat.”

“R-right Mr. McDuck.” She quietly seated herself in the chair across from him. His face seemed to hold very little emotion and that worried her. She knew she had done something wrong, well a lot wrong. Was this what it was about?

“Mr.McDuck, I’m so sorry…” Shamefully, Webby looked at the ground.

“Webbigail..” He interrupted. “What are ye sorry for?”

“For running away, for causing so many problems for Granny, you and the boys and everyone and Donald.” Webby felt her eyes watering. “I made you all worry so much.”

“Aye, that you did lass.” Sighing, Scrooge got to his feet and walked over to her, kneeling before her and smiling gently. “But I understand why ye felt ye needed to.”

Looking back at Scrooge with teary eyes, her shocked face only made his heart clench more painfully.

Taking her into his arms, he hugged her tightly to him. “Oh lass, can ye ever forgive this old codger for his stupidity?” He swallowed a lump in his throat and felt tears form. “I’m so sorry for everything.” He pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “I was wrong, so wrong about a lot. Ye are a part of this family as much as any of the others. Ye are as equal as the boys and Donald and 22. Ye are my precious niece. And I never ever want ye to forget that.”

Webby’s eyes were threatening to spill out. “Y-you don’t want me gone? You….don’t think I’m a nuisance?”

“Heavens no!” Scrooge looked deeply hurt but he understood why she may have thought those things.

“Can…Can I call you Uncle Scrooge?” Webby asked.

“Always and forever darling.”

And like that, the walls Webby built up between them shattered. “Uncle Scrooge!” She yelled and launched herself into his arms once more, hugging him tightly and sobbing with a bright smile on her face.

At the door, Beakley with a slight tear and smile closed the door, glancing down at the three curious ducklings who were looking inside.

It was safe to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the McDuck home that day.

 

* * *

 

 

Scrooge was now alone in his office, staring at the video of the moon. He glanced at it over and over, hoping it would give him some kind of answers. His eyes drifted to the picture of his family. The one he wanted to protect now more than ever. Brushing a finger across the photo, he glanced back at the video. His eyes held a long buried pain he believed he had left behind years ago.

“Della..” he whispered. “What would ye want?”

Closing his eyes, he made his decision. Setting a firm look his eyes scanned the room and rested upon his cell phone.

 Picking up the phone and letting out a sigh, Scrooge dialed a number and pressed the receiver to his ear.

“Gyro? I want ye to stop looking into the moon incident.” He paused, then continued. “I want ye to devote yer research into something more pressing. Don’t worry about the money. I will provide whatever ye need.” He clenched his fist on his desk and brows narrowed into a determined look.

“Look into everything ye can about Shadows. Specifically, if its possible to bring someone from the Shadow Realm. I don’t care, just do it.” He hung up and took the tablet from his desk replaying the video from the moon.

He placed it face down on his desk.

 

THE END! For now....


End file.
